SRINAGAR: The United States military has shot down an Iranian drone that approached an American aircraft carrier operating in the Arabian Sea, a US official told Reuters.
The official said the unmanned aerial vehicle was intercepted after it came too close to the carrier, describing the action as a defensive measure taken to protect US forces. The drone was identified as an Iranian Shahed-139 and was downed by a US F-35 fighter jet.
US officials did not identify the aircraft carrier involved or specify how close the drone came before it was shot down. The military also released limited operational details about the encounter.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East, where US naval assets have been deployed to deter potential threats and safeguard key maritime routes. US forces have repeatedly said they will respond to any actions that endanger their personnel or assets in international waters.
Iran has not officially commented on the US account of the incident. However, Iran’s state-affiliated Fars News Agency reported that Iranian naval units had intercepted a vessel which it claimed had entered Iranian territorial waters without authorisation. The outlet denied any hostile intent, saying there was “no specific security incident” and that the vessel was warned to leave.
Fars also reported that the USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group had “retreated 1,400 kilometres” from Iran’s southern port city of Chabahar. US defence officials have not commented on the claim.
