A U.S. Navy F-35C fighter jet from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln intercepted and shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone approximately 500 miles off Iran’s coast on Tuesday, following reports that the unmanned aerial vehicle had ignored de-escalation efforts in international waters. Hours earlier, Iranian gunboats attempted to board the U.S.-flagged tanker M/T Stena Imperative within the Strait of Hormuz, but the vessel evaded the harassment with assistance from the USS McFaul and Air Force support.
According to a source cited by the article, these defensive actions were directed by President Trump. The incident occurred ahead of scheduled Friday negotiations in Istanbul focused on Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missile capabilities, and proxy conflicts, amid heightened tensions stemming from recent military deployments and strikes.
The Shahed-139 drone, developed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle designed for precision strikes and surveillance missions. It has been deployed in regional conflicts, including operations against adversaries in Syria since 2016. While the U.S. action prevented potential damage to the carrier, military analysts note that such drones pose a significant threat to naval assets through persistent surveillance and targeted engagements at extended ranges.