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Two Iranian drones were shot down earlier this week by a US Navy warship in the Red Sea after the unmanned aircraft took “unsafe and unprofessional” actions near an American warship.
This was revealed by the Bahrain-based US Naval Forces Central Command Commander Vice Admiral Brad Cooper in a statement yesterday.
“Iranian unmanned aircraft took unsafe and unprofessional actions near USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE) during the course of routine flight operations in international waters,” he said.
In October, the US Navy deployed USS Dwight D Eisenhower and its carrier strike group (IKECSG) including the cruiser Philippine Sea, and destroyers Laboon, Mason and Gravely, to the region, under the US Central Command area of responsibility in response to the Gaza conflict.
The US Navy has increased the number of its ships stationed in the Middle East following the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, a conflict that has caused tensions to soar in the region and threatened to escalate into a wider fight.
Last month, a nuclear-powered submarine joined the strike group, entering the Red Sea after transiting from the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal.
Two days before the latest incident on November 28, the USS Mason responded to a distress call from a chemical tanker Central Park, foiling an attempted pirate attack in the Gulf of Aden.
Speaking about the latest incident, Vice Adm Cooper explained: “The Dwight D Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was conducting routine flight operations in international waters of the central Arabian Gulf when it detected an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
“The UAV was visually identified as Iranian. Its closest point of approach to IKE was approximately 1,500 yards.”
The aircraft ignored multiple hails and warnings from the IKECSG, before being shot down, as the Iranian drone’s actions violated safety precautions outlined in a daily Notice to Airmen (NOTAM).
According to the NOTAM, manned and unmanned aircraft must remain more than 10 nautical miles from the aircraft carrier in order to ensure safety of flight of military and civilian aviation.
Vice Adm Cooper also noted that no injuries were reported and no US aircraft was damaged during the attack, adding that US naval forces would remain vigilant and “will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows while promoting regional maritime security”.
Another Iran-produced drone launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen was shot down a day after this attack, on Wednesday, at approximately 11am.
“While in the South Red Sea, the Arleigh-Burke Class Guided Missile Destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) shot down an Iran-produced KAS-04 unmanned aerial vehicle launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen,” a US Central Command spokesperson said in a separate statement.
At the time of the attack, the USS Carney was escorting the Navy’s largest combat logistics ship, the USNS Supply, as well as another US-flagged ship carrying military equipment to the region.
The statement acknowledged that the UAV’s intentions were unknown adding that it was headed towards the warship.
No personnel were injured, and US vessels did not sustain any damage.
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