![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Shahed-300x168.jpg\")
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Well, not really. Jet engine (check), Mideast nation (check), menacing our carrier (check), Navy pilot shooting it down (check) MiG (oops) – came so close to being Ed’s favorite movie in real life. Missed it by that<\/em> much…<\/p>\n About 500 miles out of Iran, in seas that no one would call anything but international waters, the Iranians got a little froggy with one of their Shahed drones. Briefly.<\/p>\n \u201cUSS Abraham Lincoln<\/em> (CVN 72) was transiting the Arabian Sea approximately 500 miles from Iran\u2019s southern coast when an Iranian Shahed-139 drone unnecessarily maneuvered toward the ship,\u201d Hawkins added. \u201cThe Iranian drone continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The specific weapon used to down the drone was not specified. Since the Navy does say it was an F-35C which done the dirty deed,\u00a0 we can probably presume the kill shot came from an AIM-9X Sidewinder, an AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), or a 25mm gun pod (if it was done dirt cheap).<\/p>\n Not the first drone we’ve taken out by a long shot. And drones are relatively non-escalatory (is there such a word?) as they are unmanned, so enemy casualties are not involved. Shaheds are roughly equivalent in size and capacity to one of our Predator drones.<\/p>\n The Houthis in Yemen have actively targeted American naval vessels with kamikaze drones, as well as anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles, in the past.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sounds like the Navy lads are right on top of\u00a0 it. Bravo Zulu, guys. Think that is the correct phrase?<\/p>\n And the Iranians haven’t just been obnoxious to our carrier group.<\/p>\n During a separate incident hours later in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel lawfully transiting the international sea passage. Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M\/V Stena Imperative<\/em> at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker,\u201d Capt. Tim Hawkins, the CENTCOM spokesperson, also said in his statement to TWZ<\/em>. \u201cGuided-missile destroyer USS McFaul<\/em> (DDG 74) was operating in the area and immediately responded to the scene to escort M\/V Stena Imperative<\/em> with defensive air support from the U.S. Air Force.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Don’t know about you, but I would suspect a destroyer and a couple of armed US aircraft would cause anyone to recalibrate their thinking a little. It would definitely be time to un-ass the AO – heck, we’re smoking suspected drug smugglers. Actual attempted hijackers? Yeah, time to turn that Islamic glorified Zodiac for shore.<\/p>\n Trump \u201cremains committed to always pursuing diplomacy first,\u201d White House press secretary Karonline Leavitt told Fox News<\/em>. \u201cBut in order for diplomacy to work, of course, it takes two to tango. You need a willing partner to engage. And so that\u2019s something the president and Special Envoy Witkoff are exploring and discussing right now.\u201dTWZ<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Seems to me I remember an earlier version of this. Something about a big stick? Or maybe the old saw about needing to hit the mule with a 2×4 first to get its attention?\u00a0 Iran would be wise to remember who has the biggest cudgel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"