A US military spokesman revealed that an F-35C stealth fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone after it approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in a threatening manner, while the White House announced it will proceed with nuclear negotiations this weekend but emphasized that "military options" remain on the table.
Tim Hawkins, spokesman for the US Central Command (CENTCOM), said that on Tuesday (3 Feb), an F-35C stealth fighter jet launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln shot down an Iranian drone "in self-defense" after the drone aggressively approached the US warship at close range in a threatening manner, while the ship was about 500 miles from the Iranian coast.
There was no damage to US property and no injuries in the incident. However, it occurred amid ongoing US military reinforcement in the region, against a backdrop of extremely tense relations with the Tehran government.
Despite the confrontation, White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt confirmed that talks between the US and Iran are still scheduled for late this week. She stated that President Donald Trump remains committed to diplomacy but is prepared to use "military force" if necessary. Reports indicate the venue will be moved from Istanbul, Turkey, to Oman at Iran's request, with direct talks only between US and Iranian officials, represented by Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff on the US side.
On the same day, the US military reported a separate incident, stating that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) "harassed" a US-flagged commercial vessel with American crew in the Strait of Hormuz, the world's busiest oil shipping route. US military support helped de-escalate the situation, allowing the vessel to continue safely.
Trump issued an ultimatum for Iran to agree to nuclear program limits and to stop violence against domestic protesters. Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports over 6,400 deaths from the crackdown in Iran, with some sources estimating up to 25,000 fatalities.
Previously, Trump warned that if negotiations fail, Iran could face "more severe" attacks than those in June last year, when he claimed to have "crushed" some of Iran's nuclear enhancement sites.
Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier warned that any attack on Iran would immediately trigger a "regional war."
. BBC