According to Reuters, the U.S. military on Tuesday shot down an Iranian drone that “aggressively” approached the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, raising tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The incident occurred at a time when diplomats were attempting to arrange nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States. Meanwhile, Donald Trump warned that “bad things” could happen if no agreement is reached, as U.S. warships move closer to Iran.
Following the report of the drone shootdown, oil futures rose by more than $1 per barrel.
The U.S. military said the Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying toward the carrier “with unclear intent” and was destroyed by an F-35 fighter jet. Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesperson for United States Central Command, said the action was taken in self-defense to protect the carrier and its personnel.
“No American service members were harmed and no U.S. equipment was damaged,” Hawkins added.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the incident. However, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that contact had been lost with a drone in international waters, without explaining the cause.
The Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is part of an expanded U.S. military presence in the Middle East following Iran’s recent crackdown on anti-government protests, which marked the deadliest unrest since the 1979 revolution.
President Trump has since urged Tehran to make nuclear concessions. He said last week that Iran was “seriously talking,” while Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani said preparations for negotiations were under way.
Reuters also reported that hours after the drone incident, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) harassed a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
Captain Hawkins said two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached the tanker Stena Imperative at high speed and threatened to board it. A maritime security firm, Vanguard, said Iranian forces ordered the vessel to stop, but the tanker increased speed and continued its journey.
A U.S. Navy warship later escorted the tanker, leading to a de-escalation of the situation. The vessel proceeded safely, according to U.S. officials.
The twin incidents have added to growing regional tensions as diplomatic efforts continue to revive talks over Iran’s nuclear program.