The US Navy has shot down an Iranian drone that approached the USS Lincoln, according to reports on Tuesday.
‘The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying towards the carrier and was shot down by a F-35 US fighter jet,’ according to Reuters.
The US military shot down the Iranian drone near a United States Navy aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.
According to the reports, the Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying towards the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and was shot down by a F-35 US fighter jet.
⚡️ US Navy SHOOTS DOWN ‘Iranian drone approaching aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in Arabian Sea’ — Reuters pic.twitter.com/cg2zQywx6W
— RT (@RT_com) February 3, 2026
“An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self defence and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board,” said Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson at the U.S. military’s Central Command, according to Reuters.
No American service members were injured, and no US equipment was damaged, he said.
The incident occurred while diplomats were trying to organise nuclear talks between Iran and the United States.
US President Donald Trump warned that “bad things” could happen if a deal is not reached, as US warships head toward Iran.
The Lincoln carrier strike group is the most visible part of the US military buildup in the Middle East, following last month’s violent crackdown on anti government protests, according to the reports. It is also the deadliest unrest in Iran since 1979.
Trump did not carry out his earlier threats to intervene during the crackdown, according to the reports.
He has since called on Tehran to make nuclear concessions and sent a fleet of ships to Iran’s coast.
He said last week that Iran was “seriously talking,” while Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, said preparations for negotiations were underway.
The US Navy shot down an Iranian drone after it approached the USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.#PakistanConnect pic.twitter.com/vZsCMcmgRl
— Pakistan Connect (@Pak_Connect) February 3, 2026
US-Iran talks
Pakistan has been invited to participate in the US-Iran talks intended to reduce the tensions between Tehran and Washington, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Tuesday.
According to reports, DPM Ishaq Dar and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir are likely to represent Pakistan in the US-Iran talks.
