A U.S. F-35 fighter jet engaged and destroyed an Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle over the Arabian Sea on Tuesday after the drone advanced toward the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, according to an official statement from the U.S. military.
The incident, which occurred on February 3, 2026, involved a Shahed-139 surveillance and attack drone manufactured by Iran. Military authorities confirmed the drone was operating in close proximity to the carrier strike group before being intercepted and neutralized by advanced aerial defenses.
This confrontation represents the latest escalation in ongoing regional tensions between the United States and Iran. The Arabian Sea, a critical waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with international shipping routes, has frequently served as a stage for such military encounters. The USS Abraham Lincoln’s presence in the region comes as part of ongoing U.S. naval operations aimed at maintaining maritime security and stability.
The engagement highlights continuing friction between Washington and Tehran, particularly regarding military movements in strategic Middle Eastern waters. Pentagon officials have repeatedly expressed concerns about Iranian surveillance attempts targeting U.S. naval assets, while Iranian authorities have consistently criticized the American military presence in the region.
This incident follows previous reports of increased U.S. naval deployments to the Middle East, with approximately ten American warships currently operating in regional waters according to recent intelligence assessments. Military analysts suggest such encounters, while potentially dangerous, reflect established protocols for dealing with perceived threats to naval operations in international waters.