The Middle East moved closer to open conflict after the U.S. Navy shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone that approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. American officials said the unmanned aircraft flew toward the carrier with unclear intent and was intercepted by an F-35 fighter jet, marking the first direct clash between U.S. and Iranian forces in months amid rising tensions.

The incident follows Tehran’s warnings that it can target U.S. naval assets at will and comes during Washington’s largest regional military buildup since last year’s strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Nearly a dozen U.S. warships and combat aircraft now surround Iran, with destroyers carrying Tomahawk missiles, while unrest inside Iran and stalled diplomacy deepen fears the confrontation could spiral into full-scale war.

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