"Drones are on the Way": Iran Mocks U.S. Shoot-down Over USS Abraham Lincoln as Tensions Flare in Hormuz

A high-stakes aerial and maritime confrontation erupted in the Gulf as a U.S. F-35C fighter jet intercepted and shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone targeting the USS Abraham Lincoln. While U.S. Central Command cited "self-defense," Ebrahim Rezaei, a key figure in the Iranian Parliament's National Security Committee, mocked the U.S. military’s celebration, calling it "empty bullying" and warning that "more drones are on the way."

The friction intensified hours later in the Strait of Hormuz, where IRGC fast-attack craft harassed the U.S.-flagged merchant vessel Stina Imperative, threatening to board it before the ship managed to accelerate away. These provocations coincide with President Trump’s ominous warnings of "bad things" ahead of Friday’s nuclear talks. The escalation suggests Tehran is utilizing a "dual-track" strategy: diplomatic maneuvering in Istanbul and military posturing at sea to strengthen its bargaining hand.