The US military shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone that was approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea with “unclear intent,” according to US Central Command. An F-35C fighter jet from the carrier intercepted and destroyed the drone after it continued toward the ship despite warnings. No US personnel or equipment were harmed. The incident occurred within hours of Iranian forces reportedly harassing a US-flagged merchant vessel, the Stena Imperative, in the Strait of Hormuz. The Gulf News writes:

US Central Command says a US Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.

In an emailed statement Tuesday, US Central Command said the drone “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier with “unclear intent” and it “continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by US forces operating in international waters.” The US military says the shootdown also occurred within hours of another incident in which Iranian forces harassed a U.S.-flagged and U.S. crewed merchant vessel that was sailing in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Shahed-139 drone was shot down by an F-35C fighter jet from the Lincoln, which, according to U.S. Central Command, was sailing about 500 miles (800 kilometers) from Iran’s southern coast. […]

Then, hours later, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces harassed the merchant vessel Stena Imperative, the U.S. military said. […]

Together, these vessels create a formidable force able to dominate any region of the world — projecting power, influence, and military might.

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