Washington 3 February 2026 #1

3 February 2026

CENTCOM reported downing an Iranian drone that it said had “aggressively approached” the USS Abraham Lincoln and “continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters”. Subsequently, Iranian drones and vessels approached the U.S.-flagged, Bahrain-bound tanker “Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker”; a U.S. destroyer “immediately responded to the scene to escort M/V Stena Imperative with defensive support from the U.S. Air Force. The situation de-escalated as a result”. “Continued Iranian harassment and threats in international waters and airspace will not be tolerated”, CENTCOM underscored.