U.S. Fighter Jet Shoots Down Iranian Drone Near Aircraft Carrier in Arabian Sea
“The 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,” Hawkins said in a statement.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A U.S. stealth fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone after it approached an American aircraft carrier in what the U.S. military described as an “aggressive” maneuver in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, according to U.S. Central Command.
Captain Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesperson, said an F-35C fighter jet operating from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln intercepted and destroyed the drone in a defensive action.
“The 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,” Hawkins said in a statement.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran in the Middle East, particularly in strategic waterways such as the Arabian Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, which are critical routes for global energy shipments.
U.S. naval forces regularly operate in the region as part of efforts to ensure maritime security and deter threats to commercial shipping and allied forces. In recent years, U.S. officials have accused Iran of conducting unsafe and provocative maneuvers involving drones and naval vessels near American and allied ships.
The U.S. military has repeatedly stated that it will respond to any actions that threaten the safety of its forces, while maintaining that its presence in the region is defensive in nature.