A US Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone over the Arabian Sea on Tuesday after the unmanned aerial vehicle made what American officials described as an “aggressive approach” toward a US aircraft carrier.
US Central Command said the Shahed-139 drone approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with “unclear intent” and continued flying toward the vessel despite de-escalatory measures taken by US forces operating in international waters. The drone was subsequently shot down by an F-35C fighter jet.
The aircraft carrier was sailing about 805 kilometres from Iran’s southern coast at the time of the incident, which occurred just before sunrise, according to Central Command spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins.
“No American service members were harmed during the incident, and no US equipment was damaged,” Hawkins said, as quoted by CNN.
Some unconfirmed reports, meanwhile, claimed that Iran is sending another drone towards the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln.
Iran has reportedly launched another drone to monitor the USS Abraham Lincoln.
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 3, 2026
The new drone is flying near the Strait of Hormuz, the same area where the previous one was intercepted.@DI313_ pic.twitter.com/eObw3Ier59
In a separate incident, Hawkins said in statement, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces harassed a merchant vessel flying the American flag and carrying an American crew.
According to the statement, two Iranian boats and a Mohajer drone approached the tanker Stena Imperative at high speed and threatened to board and seize the vessel. The US Navy destroyer USS McFaul responded by escorting the tanker and providing defensive air support.
The incidents occurred amid heightened tensions in the region following warnings from Washington of possible military intervention over Iran’s ongoing crackdown on anti-government protests.
However, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday that he had instructed the country’s foreign minister to “pursue fair and equitable negotiations” with the United States.
The remarks are seen as the clearest indication so far that Tehran may be open to dialogue. It also signals that the president has received backing from Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had until now dismissed the possibility of talks.
