U.S. Carrier Shoots Down Iranian Drone As Tanker Threatened In Hormuz

A U.S. aircraft carrier shot down an Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, hours before Iranian gunboats threatened a U.S.-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to CNN.

U.S. Central Command said the drone approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aggressively despite warning measures. An F-35C fighter jet destroyed the drone in international airspace. No injuries or damage were reported.

BREAKING: The U.S. military shot down an unmanned Iranian drone after it "aggressively approached a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier with unclear intent," a U.S. Central Command spokesman told FOX News.

"USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) was transiting the Arabian Sea approximately 500… pic.twitter.com/JIETOBjz1D

— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 3, 2026

Later, two boats operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps repeatedly passed the Stena Imperative, issuing radio threats to board and seize the vessel. A U.S. destroyer escorted the tanker away, and the situation de-escalated.

The incidents come ahead of scheduled U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks and amid heightened regional deployments ordered by President Donald Trump. U.S. officials said Iranian actions increased the risk of miscalculation and will not be tolerated.

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Iranian Gunboats Confront U.S.-Flagged Tanker In Strait Of Hormuz

A U.S.-flagged oil tanker was approached by Iranian gunboats in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, escalating tensions just days before planned U.S.-Iran negotiations, according to maritime security firm Vanguard Tech and CBS News. The tanker, Stena Imperative, was confronted by small armed vessels linked to

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