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Drone Downing and Aftermath
The United States shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone that was approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, with CENTCOM saying the drone approached the carrier aggressively and with unspecified intent.
CENTCOM said the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier was about 500 miles (800 kilometers) from the southern coast of Iran at the time, and it reported that none of the U.S. personnel were harmed and no damage to equipment was reported.
CNN reported that an American official told Pamela Brown aboard the Abraham Lincoln that the situation with Iran remains highly volatile, and that more strikes could be carried out.
The same CNN account said the U.S. military is on high alert and waiting, and that the targets struck were missiles that could be used against American assets such as aircraft carriers, in addition to drones.
Strikes, Ceasefire, and Threats
CENTCOM announced additional U.S. strikes against Iran, saying the operations aim to further undermine Tehran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
In its statement on X, CENTCOM said, "the United States holds Iran responsible for the recent and unjustified aggression that targeted commercial shipping and civilian crews sailing through a vital international waterway."
The National said the U.S. military struck over 80 Iranian targets after Washington accused Tehran of breaching a ceasefire, and it quoted CENTCOM warning its forces remain "postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable."
The National also reported that air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain and Kuwait on Wednesday morning, and that the Kuwaiti army said air defences were confronting "hostile" missile and drone attacks.
Diplomacy Under Pressure
Axios reported that Tehran seeks a bilateral meeting in Oman with the United States, with the Islamic Republic wanting to move negotiations from Istanbul and hold them bilaterally only with the United States.
Axios also said the aim of the Islamic Republic in proposing a bilateral meeting is to ensure the talks focus only on the nuclear issue and not on topics related to Iran’s missile program or regional issues.
The Egyptian Today reported that Trump threatened new strikes on Iran if talks mediated by Pakistan and Qatar falter, while Tehran said the talks are "extremely arduous."
The Egyptian Today added that Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Bagheri stated that the differences with Washington are "deep and large," and that the nuclear file is not on the current discussion agenda, noting that Iran's priority is "ending the war in a way that ensures the country’s security interests."
