Arya News - The drone approached the carrier with unclear intent, according to CENTCOM.
( NewsNation ) — U.S. forces shot down an Iranian drone on Tuesday as it aggressively approached a Navy aircraft carrier with unclear intent.
Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins confirmed to NewsNation that an F-35C fighter jet from the USS Abraham Lincoln shot down the drone in self-defense and to protect the carrier and personnel.
The USS Abraham Lincoln was about 500 miles from Iran’s coast when the Iranian Shahed-139 drone approached the ship.
Lindsey Vonn plans to compete in Winter Olympics with ruptured ACL
“The Iranian drone continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters,” Hawkins said.
No U.S. service members were harmed.
In a separate incident hours earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps harassed a U.S-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz while it was lawfully moving in international waters.
According to Hawkins, two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached the ship and were threatening to board and seize the tanker.
Guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul responded and escorted the M/V Stena Imperative with the Air Force providing air support so the tanker could proceed safely.
New Jersey officials warn of ICE arrests with no federal notice
Tensions with Iran have been rising in recent days, as President Donald Trump has refused to rule out further military action in Iran, despite efforts to pursue diplomatic negotiations regarding Iran’s treatment of protesters and its nuclear program.
In June, Trump ordered a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, which caused significant damage to Iran’s nuclear efforts.
While efforts have been made to arrange nuclear talks between the two countries, it is not clear when or if such talks will happen.
Trump’s ire with Iran has been growing after the country began a violent crackdown on protesters, though he backed off threats to take military action after Iran previously pledged not to execute some protesters.
Trump targets Massie, wife, ahead of key funding votes
Tens of thousands of protesters have reportedly been arrested and are facing charges as Iranian leaders have referred to the protests as a “coup.” Sedition charges in Iran can carry the death penalty, which again renews concerns about Tehran carrying out mass executions for those arrested — a red line for Trump.
Recently, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any attack by the U.S. would set off regional war.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.