US shoots down Iranian drone and escorts oil tanker after threat in Strait of Hormuz

This Tuesday (3), an Iranian drone was shot down by US forces in the Arabian Sea and, hours later, Iranian vessels threatened a US-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, according to US military authorities.

According to Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesman for US Central Command, the first incident occurred when an Iranian drone approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which was sailing in international waters about 800 kilometers off the southern coast of Iran. The unmanned aircraft, according to Hawkins, maintained its trajectory towards the ship “despite de-escalation measures taken by American forces”. Faced with the approach considered aggressive, an F-35C fighter jet boarded in the Lincoln shot down the drone. “No US service members were injured during the incident and no US equipment was damaged,” the spokesperson said.

Shortly afterwards, the tension shifted to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s main oil transport routes. Two speedboats operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps approached the M/V Stena Imperative, an American-operated chemical tanker sailing under the US flag. According to Hawkins, the Iranian vessels passed the ship three times at high speed, while an Iranian Mohajer-type drone flew over the area. In one of the passages, the Iranians threatened via radio to board and seize the ship, which was in international waters.

Following the threats, American military forces operating in the region intervened. The destroyer USS McFaul escorted the tanker out of the area, with defensive air support from the U.S. Air Force. According to Hawkins, the escort led to a reduction in tension and the episode ended without direct confrontation.

The Central Command spokesman stated that the two episodes reflect “a lack of professionalism and aggressive behavior” on the part of Iran and said that this type of “harassment” in international waters increases the risk of miscalculations. According to him, the United States will not tolerate this type of conduct against vessels operating in the region.

The incidents occurred just days before a meeting scheduled for Friday (7) between American and Iranian officials, with the aim of seeking a diplomatic solution that avoids a military confrontation. The scenario, however, remains sensitive. President Donald Trump is evaluating the possibility of a major attack on Iran, amid the impasse in discussions on limiting the country’s nuclear program and ballistic missile production.

Last week, the United States stepped up its military presence in the Middle East. The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group was sent to the region accompanied by three guided missile destroyers and the embarked air group, which includes squadrons of F/A-18E Super Hornet, F-35C Lightning II fighters and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft. The US Navy also independently maintains the destroyers USS McFaul, USS Delbert D. Black and USS Mitscher operating in the area.