USS Abraham Lincoln Engages Iranian Drone
On Tuesday, the USS Abraham Lincoln launched an F-35C fighter jet to intercept an Iranian drone that approached the aircraft carrier in what was described as an “aggressive manner” with “unclear intentions.”
According to Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), “While the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) was sailing in the Arabian Sea approximately 800 miles from Iran’s southern coast, an Iranian Shahed 139 drone unnecessarily maneuvered toward the ship.”
The Shahed 139 drone, produced in Iran, is a relatively inexpensive unmanned aircraft that resembles the U.S. Predator drone in function. Iranian media often presents it as a surveillance tool, evolving from the missile-capable Shahed-129 model.
Hawkins stressed, “Despite de-escalation measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters, Iranian drones continued to fly toward the ship. Abraham Lincoln’s F-35C fighter jet shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and crew.”
CENTCOM reported that no U.S. military equipment was damaged, nor were there any injuries to personnel during the incident.
Later, Hawkins mentioned another confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz where Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) forces harassed a U.S.-flagged commercial vessel in international waters. He explained that two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajar drone approached the M/V Stena Imperative at high speed, threatening to board the tanker.
In response, the USS McFaul, a guided missile destroyer, moved to escort the tanker with support from the U.S. Air Force, which helped ensure the vessel’s safe operation.
The USS Abraham Lincoln itself is quite a large vessel, stretching 1,000 feet long, weighing more than 100,000 tons, and capable of accommodating over 5,630 sailors and up to 90 aircraft.
Earlier, President Trump had described the carrier strike group as a “fleet” that is “ready, willing, and able to accomplish its mission quickly and violently if necessary.”
White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt stated that CENTCOM determined “an Iranian drone acted aggressively toward our USS Lincoln, and we have made the decision to shoot it down.”
Levitt also mentioned that while the president remains committed to pursuing diplomacy first, it seems, “for diplomacy to work, both parties need to engage.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is meeting with Israeli officials in Jerusalem to discuss the situation with Iran. He is also scheduled to talk with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul regarding potential agreements on Iran’s nuclear program. Despite the drone incident, Levitt confirmed that Witkoff’s meetings would proceed, although Iranian officials have called for relocation of talks to Oman.
