A U.S. Central Command spokesman told Reuters yesterday that the US Navy shot down an Iranian drone that it claimed “aggressively” approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying toward the carrier “with unclear intent” and was shot down by an F-35 U.S. fighter jet, the U.S. military claimed. “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 Centcom spokesman Navy Captain Tim Hawkins.
The Iranians haven’t confirmed that the drone was shot down, only that they lost contact with it. Iranian drones had been surveilling the carrier in the Gulf of Oman for several days prior to the incident.
