US Marine Corps F-35C shoots down Iranian drone near USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier
February 4, 2026
A US Marine Corps F-35C assigned to VMFA-314 reportedly shot down an Iranian drone in defence of the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group. The action comes as the US appears to have largely completed its buildup of military assets in the region amid tensions with Iran.
F-35C shoots down Iran drone monitoring USS Abraham Lincoln
According to reporting by Reuters, the US military shot down an Iranian drone, reportedly a Shahed-139, yesterday that had “aggressively” approached the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.
Reuters said the incident occurred as diplomats were attempting to arrange nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, with US President Donald Trump warning that tensions could escalate if an agreement was not reached as American warships moved towards Iran.
The drone was shot down by an F-35C from the Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9). Given the carrier’s complement, the jet would likely belong to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314).
Following the incident, a US CENTCOM spokesman said, “Continued Iranian harassment and threats in international waters and airspace will not be tolerated.”
It would be strange if the reconnaissance drone shot down was a Shahed-139, as that is normally a one-way attack munition. The OSINT account, Mehbdi H., posted an image of an Iranian MQ-9 Reaper-type recon drone with the caption, “In case you wonder, this is an Iranian Shahed-139 which was shot down by an F-35 today.”
In case you wonder, this is an Iranian Shahed-139 which was shot down by an F-35 today. https://t.co/GUfPBV7T6u pic.twitter.com/0bJ0A1pCcu
— Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) February 3, 2026
Meanwhile, after the Reuters report, open source OSINT accounts reported that another Iranian UAV may have flown to visually monitor the carrier strike group. It is unclear what became of it.
Large build up of US military forces near Iran
The USS Abraham Lincoln is part of a large build-up of US forces in the Middle East. The US has been observed transferring dozens of F-15s and F-35s to the region, and last week, it appears a number of EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft also arrived.
#USAF United States Air Force – Middle East Activity
— Armchair Admiral 🇬🇧 (@ArmchairAdml) February 3, 2026
3 February 2026 – 2000z
Flights from Biggs Army Airfield / Fort Bliss in Texas. Fort Bliss is home to the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armored Division which operates AH-64D's, UH-60's, HH-60's and CH-47F's.
Additionally,… https://t.co/2CwvWBrATi pic.twitter.com/IFIXEevgc5
Numerous cargo flights have been observed, reportedly carrying US THAAD and Patriot missile defence systems.
The build-up has been underway for weeks and now appears to have reached a significant scale, with a wide range of high-end assets in theatre. What remains unclear is how far Washington intends to go, and whether the current posture is designed to enable a limited strike, deter escalation, or prepare for sustained operations in the face of likely Iranian retaliation.
Whether the United States will ultimately carry out strikes on Iran remains uncertain, but allied forces are already adjusting their posture. British fighter jets have also been deployed to the area, a move widely viewed as defensive in nature.
The development also comes as the US Air Force conducts scheduled exercises in the region.
Get the latest aerospace defence news here on AGN.
Middle East tensions escalate
This was far from the only commotion in the Middle East. The Wall Street Journal also reported that six Iranian gunboats armed with .50-calibre machine guns approached the US-flagged, Danish-owned oil tanker M/T STENA IMPERATIVE as it transited the Strait of Hormuz.
Six Iranian gunboats armed with .50cal machine guns approached the American-flagged, Danish-owned oil tanker M/T STENA IMPERATIVE earlier today near the Strait of Hormuz in a threatening manner, after the vessel departed the United Arab Emirates bound for the Naval Support… pic.twitter.com/ItavDyZOH8
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) February 3, 2026
The gunboats reportedly ordered the tanker to halt and prepare to be boarded by the IRGC. However, the tanker sped up and was not pursued; it was later escorted by a US warship. The WSJ also reported Iran was threatening to walk away from talks.
Meanwhile, the Houthis in Yemen also warned that if Iran is attacked, they may resume their attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea.
Separately, there was also a visual sighting of what appears to be the first Russian Mi-28 Havoc Attack Helicopters delivered to Iran.
Featured Image: US Marine Corps
