US Navy's USS Abraham Lincoln shot down an 'aggressively' approaching Iranian Shahed drone / Separate incident involving an oil tanker harassed by the IRGC

The US military shot down an Iranian drone that was “aggressively” approaching the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, the US military said, according to Reuters and Fox News.

The incident came as diplomats are trying to hold talks on the nuclear issue between Iran and the United States, and US President Donald Trump has warned that with US warships heading towards Iran, “bad things” are likely to happen if no deal is reached.

Oil futures prices LCOc1 rose more than $1 a barrel after it was learned that the drone had been shot down.

The Iranian Shahed-139 drone was flying towards the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier “with unclear intentions” and was shot down by a US F-35 fighter jet, the US military said.

“An F-35C fighter jet from the Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board,” said Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM).

Iran's mission to the United Nations (UN) declined to comment on the incident.

No US military personnel were injured during the incident and no US equipment was damaged, Captain Hawkins added.

“The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) was transiting the Arabian Sea approximately 500 miles off the southern coast of Iran when an Iranian Shahed-139 drone maneuvered unnecessarily toward the ship,” Hawkins told Fox News.

“The Iranian drone continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalation measures taken by US forces operating in international waters,” CENTCOM said.

Separate incident in the Strait of Hormuz

Hawkins also said Tuesday that “in a separate incident several hours later in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces harassed a US-flagged, US-manned commercial vessel legally transiting the international seaway.”

“Two IRGC vessels and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached the M/V Stena Imperative at high speed and threatened to board and capture the tanker,” the CENTCOM spokesman added.

The maritime risk management organization Vanguard reported that the Iranian vessels ordered the American tanker to shut down its engine and prepare for the approach. Instead, the tanker accelerated and continued its journey.

Hawkins said a US Navy warship, the USS McFaul, was operating in the area and escorted the Stena Imperative.

“The guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) was operating in the area and immediately responded to the incident to escort the M/V Stena Imperative with defensive air support from the US Air Force. The situation subsequently calmed down and the US-flagged tanker continued its safe passage,” added Captain Hawkins.

Trump sent “a massive armada” to Iran

The USS Abraham Lincoln is in the Middle East after President Donald Trump said last week that “a massive armada is headed for Iran.”

“It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm and determination. It is a larger fleet than the one sent to Venezuela, led by the great aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. As with Venezuela, it is ready, willing and able to accomplish its mission quickly, with speed and violence if necessary,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “We hope that Iran will quickly come to the negotiating table and negotiate a fair and just deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is beneficial to all parties. Time is running out, it really is critical!” the White House leader added.

The Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group is the most visible part of the US military buildup in the Middle East after last month's violent crackdown on anti-government demonstrations, Iran's bloodiest domestic unrest since the 1979 revolution.

Trump, who did not follow through on threats to intervene during the crackdown, has since asked Tehran to make nuclear concessions and sent a flotilla to the Asian country's coast.

The US president said last week that Iran was “in serious talks”, while Ali Larijani, Tehran's top security official, said preparations were being made for negotiations.