An Iranian drone flew over the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) in an unsafe manner, Central Command said in a Wednesday statement.
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was conducting routine flight operations in the Central Arabian Gulf Tuesday when it spotted a drone later identified as Iranian. At one point, the drone got within 1,500 yards of Dwight D. Eisenhower, according to a Central Command release.
The drone ignored multiple warnings, according to the release.
“This unsafe, unprofessional, and irresponsible behavior by Iran risks U.S. and partner nation lives and needs to cease immediately,” reads the release.“U.S. naval forces remain vigilant and will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows while promoting regional maritime security.”
The carrier strike group is in Central Command’s area of response as part of the U.S. reaction to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, as well as strikes against U.S. coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, which the Pentagon attributes to Iranian-backed proxy groups. The strike group’s presence is meant to act as a deterrent.
The drone’s actions come as U.S. naval ships have shot down a number of missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. USS Carney (DDG-64) shot down a Houthi missile over the Red Sea Wednesday, a defense official told USNI News.
This is the second time Carney has shot down missiles from Yemen. In October, Carney launched SM-2s to take down a number of Houthi drones and missiles launched toward Israel, USNI News previously reported.
USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116), assigned to the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, has also shot down Houthi drones while in the Red Sea. Thomas Hudner shot down multiple drones on Nov. 22 and Nov. 15, USNI News previously reported.
