The United States said Tuesday that its forces shot down an Iranian drone that flew close to a U.S. aircraft carrier operating in the Middle East, describing the encounter as a potential threat to the vessel’s safety.
"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," Central Command spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins said in a statement.
In an emailed statement Tuesday, U.S. 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 U.S. forces operating in international waters." The U.S. 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. The military's statement noted that no American troops were harmed and no equipment was damaged.
Then, hours later, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces harassed the merchant vessel Stena Imperative, the U.S. military said.
