The US claims to have downed an Iranian drone that was approaching a US aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea. The US military also said that it thwarted an attempt by the Islamic Republic to board an American merchant ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
US officials told Reuters on Tuesday that an F-35 intercepted the Iranian Shahed-139 drone as it approached the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. They claimed the incident occurred about 500 miles from the Iranian border.
President Donald Trump has ordered a massive military buildup in the Middle East and repeatedly threatened to order an attack on Iran. The build-up includes the USS Lincoln and its aircraft carrier strike group, fighter jets, and advanced missile defense systems.
Separately, US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that Iran attempted to seize a US commercial vessel traveling in the Persian Gulf. “Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker,” CENTCOM spokesman Capt Tim Hawkins said.
Tehran has not issued a statement on the incidents.
Many officials and analysts have said a US attack on Iran could come within months. The White House believes the government of Iran is vulnerable, and an attack could lead to regime change.
