US Shoots Down Iranian Drone Near USS Abraham Lincoln in Arabian Sea

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that an Iranian Shahed-139 drone, while flying toward a US aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, was targeted and shot down.

Commander Tim Hawkins, CENTCOM spokesperson, said in a statement that an F-35 fighter jet deployed on the aircraft carrier destroyed the drone as part of a self-defense action to protect the carrier and its crew.

Before the release of this statement, Reuters and CBS News, citing US sources, reported that the US military had shot down an Iranian drone approaching the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.

According to published information, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier began its journey from the South China Sea toward the Middle East on January 14 (24th of Dey in the Persian calendar), and reports indicate its presence near the coast of Oman. The Arabian Sea is considered a major international shipping route, and the presence of various military forces in this area has always been accompanied by security sensitivities.