The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that on December 2, a US naval aircraft intercepted an Iranian drone flying over the Persian Gulf.
CENTCOM said on X (formerly Twitter) that the UAV “operated in an unsafe and unprofessional manner” near the strike group led by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier. The US military said the force was deployed to support “maritime security and stability in the Middle East region.”
An F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. (Photo: RT)
The reported encounter comes after a series of attacks and incidents involving boats in the area, which followed fighting between Hamas and Israel on October 7.
On Wednesday, a drone launched from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen was shot down by the US Navy destroyer USS Carney in the Red Sea.
The Pentagon said Iranian-made drones were headed toward its warships. US Navy ships also shot down missiles and drones launched from Yemen in October.
The US has sent two aircraft carrier strike groups to the Middle East to show support for Israel in its fight against Hamas. The Pentagon said at the time that it was sending “a message of deterrence to Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah”.
Earlier this week, a container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire was suspected of being the target of an Iranian drone attack in the Indian Ocean, while a week ago a British-owned cargo ship was seized by the Houthis in the Red Sea.
The Pentagon reported on December 3 that its ships also thwarted an attempt by “armed individuals” to seize another commercial vessel.
Iran-backed forces in Yemen have claimed that the Israeli-origin vessels were “legitimate targets.” Iran, meanwhile, has denied any involvement in the attacks on the US Navy.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has never been involved in any action or attack against US military forces in Syria or elsewhere,” Iran’s semi-official IRNA news agency said.
Phuong Anh (Source: RT)
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