An F-35C fighter plane downed an Iranian Shahed-139 drone after the unmanned aircraft "unnecessarily maneuvered" toward the aircraft carrier, according to the U.S. Central Command (Centcom).
"The Iranian drone continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters," Centcom spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said in a statement to The Hill.
The aircraft carrier, along with its strike group of destroyers, arrived in the Centcom area last week as President Trump has threatened to authorize strikes against Iran, but has not ruled out diplomatic discussions.
No U.S. service members were injured in the incident and no U.S. equipment was damaged, according to Centcom.
The incident comes as Iran's neighbors have pushed to set up a meeting between U.S. and Iranian officials over the country's nuclear program. Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff was set to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul on Friday.
The president previously warned that "bad things" would happen if a deal could not be struck. The Pentagon has amassed a massive military presence near Iran, including a dozen warships, fighter jets and cargo planes.
In a separate incident on Tuesday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces threatened to board and seize a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel transiting near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Centcom.
Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at "high speeds" and tried to seize the boat, Hawkins said. The Navy's Guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul was in the area and escorted the M/V Stena Imperative "defensive air support" from the U.S. Air Force, he added.
"The situation de-escalated as a result, and the U.S.-flagged tanker is proceeding safely," Hawkins said in a statement.
"Continued Iranian harassment and threats in international waters and airspace will not be tolerated," he added.
Ready the full report at thehill.com.
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