US Fighter Jet Shoots Down Iranian Shahed-139 Drone After ‘Aggressive’ Approach Toward USS Abraham Lincoln

A US Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that moved toward the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, the US Central Command confirmed on Tuesday. The episode unfolded in international waters and added to a series of confrontations that have heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.

Drone Approached Carrier With 'Unclear Intent'

According to an emailed statement to AFP, the military said the drone "aggressively approached" the carrier with "unclear intent" and "continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by US forces operating in international waters."

US Central Command identified the aircraft as a Shahed-139 drone, which was brought down by an F-35C fighter jet operating from the Abraham Lincoln. At the time, the carrier was sailing roughly 500 miles (800 kilometres) from Iran's southern coastline. Officials added that no American personnel were injured and no equipment sustained damage.

Merchant Vessel Harassed In Strait Of Hormuz

The shootdown occurred within hours of another tense encounter in the region. Iranian forces reportedly harassed a US-flagged and US-crewed merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the US military said.

Later in the day, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted commercial shipping again, approaching the merchant vessel Stena Imperative. The statement noted that two fast-moving boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone closed in on the ship "at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker."

Tehran Signals Openness To Talks

Despite the military flare-ups, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian indicated a readiness to reopen diplomatic channels with Washington. He confirmed that he had ordered preparations for negotiations, provided the atmosphere was conducive.

"I have instructed my minister of foreign affairs, provided that a suitable environment exists - one free from threats and unreasonable expectations - to pursue fair and equitable negotiations," Pezeshkian said in a post on X, adding that the decision followed requests "from friendly governments".

The statement marks one of Tehran's clearest signals yet that it may be willing to re-engage with the United States even as regional strains persist.

Trump Warns Of Consequences If Deal Fails

The development follows remarks by US President Donald Trump, who cautioned that "bad things would happen" if an agreement is not achieved, while also expressing optimism about a possible breakthrough.

"We have talks going on with Iran... and if we could work something out, that'd be great. And if we can't, probably bad things would happen," Trump said, according to AP.

Washington recently deployed an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East after Iran's violent crackdown on nationwide anti-government protests last month. Since returning to office, Trump has also reinstated his "maximum pressure" sanctions policy, a move that has further strained Iran's economy, AFP reported.