A US F‑35C Lightning II assigned to the Carrier Air Wing 9 shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 unmanned aerial vehicle as it approached the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN‑72) in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, military officials said, in an incident that highlighted ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
According to US Central Command, the F-35C engaged the drone after it continued toward the aircraft carrier “with unclear intent,” despite efforts to deter it. The carrier, operating about 500 miles off Iran’s southern coast, was transiting international waters at the time.
“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,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a CENTCOM spokesperson. There were no reported injuries or damage to US personnel or equipment.
The Shahed-139 is a small, long-endurance drone widely used by Iranian forces for reconnaissance and, in some cases, attack missions. CENTCOM described the drone’s approach as “aggressive,” a characterization that US officials said justified the defensive response.
The shootdown came amid broader maritime incidents in the region. Hours later, Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vessels and a Mohajer drone approached and harassed the US-flagged commercial tanker M/V Stena Imperative in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian boats reportedly tried to force the vessel to stop and threatened to board it. A nearby US Navy destroyer, USS McFaul (DDG-74), escorted the tanker to safety, and the situation “de-escalated,” CENTCOM said.
Regional analysts suggested the incidents may have been tests of U.S. naval defenses. A think tank noted that Iran’s drone flights and maritime encounters appeared aimed at probing American responses and signaling capability to challenge US forces in strategic waterways.
The events occurred against the backdrop of heightened US military presence in the Middle East, an effort that began in late January as tensions with Iran increased following domestic unrest and international disputes over nuclear negotiations.
Officials said the drone shootdown was not intended to escalate the conflict but to protect US forces and assets from ambiguous threats. Iranian state media also commented on the episode, with semi-official outlets describing the flight as a routine surveillance mission and reporting that the drone had completed its task before communications were lost.