A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier based in San Diego shot down an Iranian drone that aggressively approached the vessel while operating in the Middle East, military officials confirmed Tuesday.
The USS Abraham Lincoln was about 500 miles from Iran's coast when the Iranian drone approached with "unclear intent," according to U.S. Central Command. When the drone failed to turn away, an F-35 fighter jet from the carrier shot it down.
"It coming within a certain distance or certain radius could be deemed as aggressive," said Benjamin Radd, a political science professor at UCLA. "So there's always that factor, even if it approaches, and it's not visibly armed with a projectile, it can still be a threat."
The incident highlights growing tensions between the U.S. and Iran as military forces build up in the region.
"We have a massive buildup of the U.S fleet in the Persian Gulf and in the Mediterranean and in general in the area, in anticipation of a possible strike or confrontation with Iran," Radd said.
The Abraham Lincoln left San Diego in November and was originally headed for the Indo-Pacific. The carrier's mission changed as tensions escalated in the Middle East.
Radd expressed concerns about potential escalation between the two countries.
"Something will spark the inevitable attack between the two countries this might be the spark but it can be this, it can be anything else," Radd said.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is one of the Navy's largest warships, designed to attack sea, air, and land targets. Military officials said no American troops were injured in the incident and no equipment was damaged.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
