WASHINGTON — A U.S. fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone near the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, the Pentagon’s Central Command said, even as President Donald Trump said Washington is engaged in talks with Tehran to defuse tensions across the Gulf.
U.S. Central Command said the drone, identified as a Shahed-139, “aggressively approached” the carrier and continued toward it despite measures taken by U.S. forces in international waters. CENTCOM said the jet acted in self-defense. The command did not detail the drone’s proximity to the carrier at the time of the shootdown.
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The incident unfolded as the United States expands its naval and troop presence in the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln, dispatched to the Gulf last week with about 5,700 additional troops, has joined three destroyers and three littoral combat ships already operating nearby, according to U.S. officials.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said the United States is negotiating with Iran “right now,” but declined to specify where discussions are taking place. The administration has pressed Tehran to enter talks over its nuclear program and has repeatedly warned of military consequences in response to Iran’s crackdown on antigovernment protests.
Iranian officials did not immediately comment on the shootdown. Tasnim, a semi-official news agency, reported that contact was lost with the drone after it had successfully transmitted data to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and said an investigation was underway to determine what happened.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said earlier Tuesday that he had instructed his foreign minister to pursue “fair and equitable negotiations” grounded in dignity, prudence and expediency, provided that a suitable environment exists for talks. The remarks signaled a tentative opening as both sides publicly stake out positions and test red lines at sea.
The downing underscores the risk of miscalculation as U.S. and Iranian forces operate in close proximity in the Arabian Sea and beyond. It also highlights how military encounters can collide with delicate diplomacy, with both sides attempting to project resolve without foreclosing the possibility of talks.
- U.S. Central Command said a fighter jet downed an Iranian Shahed-139 drone in self-defense near the USS Abraham Lincoln in international waters.
- The incident came the same day President Donald Trump said the United States is negotiating with Iran “right now,” without offering details.
- The USS Abraham Lincoln’s arrival last week brought roughly 5,700 additional U.S. troops to the region, alongside three destroyers and three littoral combat ships.
- Iran has not officially commented; Tasnim news agency said contact with the drone was lost after it transmitted data to the IRGC and that a probe is underway.
- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian directed his foreign minister to pursue negotiations under conditions he described as fair and dignified.
Neither side reported injuries or damage related to the encounter. The Pentagon did not detail any additional steps taken around the carrier group following the incident, and it was not immediately clear whether the shootdown would alter the pace or substance of the nascent contacts Trump referenced.
In recent days, U.S. officials have emphasized maritime security and freedom of navigation amid periodic confrontations with Iranian drones and patrol craft. Tehran, for its part, has sought to leverage regional pressure and domestic resolve while signaling conditional openness to diplomacy.
With both militaries on alert and diplomatic channels opaque, Tuesday’s shootdown adds new urgency to efforts aimed at preventing a broader confrontation — even as each side seeks advantage at the negotiating table.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
