US shoots down Iranian drone flying towards aircraft carrier, navy says

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Guardian staff and agenciesFebruary 3, 2026 at 07:58 PM

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The US military shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday after it approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier. According to US Central Command, an F-35 fighter jet downed the drone in self-defense, citing the drone's "unclear intent." The incident occurred amidst ongoing tensions and attempts to arrange nuclear talks between the US and Iran. Simultaneously, in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Revolutionary Guards harassed a US-flagged merchant vessel, the M/V Stena Imperative, with boats and a drone. These events are taking place against the backdrop of a US military buildup in the Middle East and demands from the US for Iran to make nuclear concessions.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 40% Masoud Pezeshkian 50% Tim Hawkins ×250% Strait of Hormuz 50% Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) 60% Arabian Sea 60% F-35 60% Donald Trump ×260% US Central Command ×270% Abraham Lincoln ×270% Iran ×890% United States ×1090%

Keywords

iranian drone 90% us aircraft carrier 80% nuclear talks 70% military confrontation 70% abraham lincoln 60% us central command 50% strait of hormuz 50% arabian sea 50% middle east 40% revolutionary guards 40%