U.S. Shoots Down Iranian Drone Near Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier

The U.S. military on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, U.S. officials said, marking a sharp escalation as tensions rise with Iran and efforts to arrange renewed nuclear talks persist.

The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying toward the carrier “with unclear intent” when it was destroyed by a U.S. F-35 fighter jet, the military said. The incident was first reported by Reuters. U.S. officials said the Lincoln and its strike group were operating in international waters roughly 500 miles (800 kilometers) off Iran’s southern coast at the time.

“An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command. He added that no American service members were injured and no U.S. equipment was damaged.

According to U.S. military reporting, the drone continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces. The Lincoln carrier strike group is the most visible element of a broader U.S. military buildup in the region.

Earlier in the day, a separate confrontation unfolded in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint. U.S. Central Command said IRGC forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel, the M/V Stena Imperative, as it transited the waterway.

“Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker,” Hawkins said. He said the vessel continued on its route and was later escorted by a U.S. warship.

The Wall Street Journal reported that six Iranian military gunboats ordered the tanker to shut down its engines and prepare to be boarded. Instead, the ship accelerated and reached a nearby U.S. Navy vessel, which escorted it to safety. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said small armed boats attempted to halt a vessel about 18 miles (30 kilometers) north of Oman, while maritime security firm Vanguard Tech said the IRGC boats were armed with .50-caliber machine guns.

“Given increased military activity and elevated regional tensions, the potential for misjudgment cannot be discounted,” Vanguard said in a note to clients.

Iran’s state-affiliated Fars News agency disputed the U.S. account, citing unnamed officials who claimed the tanker had entered Iranian waters without authorization. The vessel was warned and left the area, the report said, adding: “There was no specific security incident.”

The maritime incidents came against a backdrop of intense diplomatic maneuvering. Talks between the United States and Iran are tentatively scheduled for Friday in Istanbul, but their status remains uncertain. The Wall Street Journal reported that Iranian officials threatened on Tuesday to withdraw from the talks altogether, citing people familiar with the matter although the reason is unknown. Separately, Reuters reported that Iran is pressing to move the meeting to Oman and to hold bilateral discussions with Washington, rather than a broader, multi-party format.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel today for consultations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, part of the same cycle of coordination ahead of the planned talks.

For now, U.S. forces remain on heightened alert in the region as military signaling and diplomatic efforts proceed in parallel, with officials on both sides acknowledging the risk of further escalation.