US military says it shot down an Iranian drone in Arabian Sea

Centcom says Iranian drone approach USS Abraham Lincoln with ‘unclear intent’ before being shot down.Published On 3 Feb 2026The United States military says it shot down an Iranian drone that approached a US aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, amid continued efforts by regional powers to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran.In a statement on Tuesday, US Central Command (Centcom) spokesperson Tim Hawkins said a US fighter jet from the USS Abraham Lincoln “shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Iran’s president orders team to open fresh talks with USlist 2 of 3Iran’s economy falters as internet shutdown hits people, businesses hardlist 3 of 3Will Iran and Israel go to war?end of listThe Shahed-139 drone was shot down by an F-35C from the Lincoln, which Centcom said was sailing about 800km (500 miles) from Iran’s southern coast.Centcom said the drone “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier with “unclear intent” and it “continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by US forces operating in international waters”.There was no immediate comment from the Iranian authorities on the incident.The announcement comes as tensions have been easing between Tehran and Washington after US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to attack Iran over a recent crackdown on antigovernment protests.Trump, who has also been pushing Iran to agree to talks over the country’s nuclear programme, sent the USS Abraham Lincoln towards Iran last week, fuelling fears of a possible military confrontation.But amid days of diplomatic efforts, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday that he had instructed the country’s foreign minister to “pursue fair and equitable negotiations”.“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, guided by the principles of dignity, prudence, and expediency,” he wrote on social media.