Iran , Feb 04 : Iran has said one of its military drones carried out a surveillance operation over international waters, even as the United States claimed it shot down an Iranian unmanned aircraft that approached an aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.
According to Iran’s Fars news agency, the drone monitored military activity in areas close to Iranian territory and transmitted live intelligence to ground stations. The report described such operations as essential for maintaining situational awareness across the region.
Meanwhile, Tasnim news agency cited an informed source saying that communication with one of the drones was lost. Officials are examining the reason for the disruption and have indicated that details will be released once the inquiry is complete.
Earlier, the US Central Command stated that an F-35C fighter jet intercepted and destroyed an Iranian Shahed-139 drone after it moved toward the USS Abraham Lincoln, which was sailing through international waters roughly 800 km from Iran’s coastline. The US military termed the action defensive, adding that the incident caused no casualties or material damage.
The episode unfolds against the backdrop of heightened American military deployment in the Middle East. In late January, Washington sent an aircraft carrier strike group along with multiple warships to the region, while President Donald Trump has continued to caution Tehran amid rising geopolitical strain.