The United States has struck Iranian coastal radar and surveillance sites after shooting down drones launched by Iran toward the Strait of Hormuz, in the latest military exchange between the two countries.
The US military said on Saturday that it destroyed Iranian surveillance facilities in Goruk and Qeshm Island after intercepting four drones it believed were targeting maritime traffic in the strategic waterway. A US official told Reuters the drones were aimed at regional shipping routes.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted US bases in the region with missiles in retaliation for previous American strikes and had fired on four tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz without its permission.
Kuwaiti state media reported that the country’s air defences intercepted missile and drone attacks of undisclosed origin. In Bahrain, sirens sounded and residents were advised to seek shelter. Iran said it had launched ballistic missiles at US bases in both countries, while the US military said six missiles were intercepted and a seventh failed to reach its target.
The latest exchange comes as Washington and Tehran continue indirect negotiations aimed at securing an interim agreement to halt the three-month war between them. Talks have so far failed to produce a breakthrough.
Iran is seeking access to billions of dollars in oil revenue, sanctions waivers on crude exports, the lifting of restrictions on its ports and influence over the Strait of Hormuz as part of any future agreement. The waterway, through which around a fifth of the world’s oil passed before the conflict, has been largely blocked by Iran during the war.
US President Donald Trump is facing growing domestic pressure over rising fuel prices linked to the conflict. Speaking to NBC News, Trump said Iran’s missile and drone production capacity had been significantly reduced but not eliminated.
“They have some missiles, they have some drones. I would say percentage wise, maybe 21%-22% of their missiles. It’s a lot of missiles, but it’s not what it was when we first attacked,” Trump told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” program, according to excerpts released by the network on Friday.
When asked why Iran’s leaders were not more willing to reach an agreement, Trump said:
“Because they are strong. They’re proud. There are things they never thought they’d be doing that they’re going to have to do, they’ve got no choice, and it takes a little while.”
The war began after the US and Israel launched military action against Iran on February 28. Since then, Tehran has fired missiles and drones at Gulf states hosting US military bases and has largely halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The conflict has pushed oil prices higher and disrupted global supply chains. The UN World Food Programme warned on Friday that rising fuel and transport costs were pushing millions of people closer to hunger.
Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, told CNN that any peace agreement depended on the Trump administration unfreezing $24 billion in Iranian assets. He also warned that the United States would “enter into a dark corridor” if it resumed attacks.
Faridah Abdulkadiri Excerpt: US forces hit Iranian radar sites after downing drones Washington says targeted maritime traffic near Hormuz.
The United States has struck Iranian coastal radar and surveillance sites after shooting down drones launched by Iran toward the Strait of Hormuz, in the latest military exchange between the two countries.
The US military said on Saturday that it destroyed Iranian surveillance facilities in Goruk and Qeshm Island after intercepting four drones it believed were targeting maritime traffic in the strategic waterway. A US official told Reuters the drones were aimed at regional shipping routes.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted US bases in the region with missiles in retaliation for previous American strikes and had fired on four tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz without its permission.
Kuwaiti state media reported that the country’s air defences intercepted missile and drone attacks of undisclosed origin. In Bahrain, sirens sounded and residents were advised to seek shelter. Iran said it had launched ballistic missiles at US bases in both countries, while the US military said six missiles were intercepted and a seventh failed to reach its target.
The latest exchange comes as Washington and Tehran continue indirect negotiations aimed at securing an interim agreement to halt the three-month war between them. Talks have so far failed to produce a breakthrough.
Iran is seeking access to billions of dollars in oil revenue, sanctions waivers on crude exports, the lifting of restrictions on its ports and influence over the Strait of Hormuz as part of any future agreement. The waterway, through which around a fifth of the world’s oil passed before the conflict, has been largely blocked by Iran during the war.
US President Donald Trump is facing growing domestic pressure over rising fuel prices linked to the conflict. Speaking to NBC News, Trump said Iran’s missile and drone production capacity had been significantly reduced but not eliminated.
“They have some missiles, they have some drones. I would say percentage wise, maybe 21%-22% of their missiles. It’s a lot of missiles, but it’s not what it was when we first attacked,” Trump told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” program, according to excerpts released by the network on Friday.
When asked why Iran’s leaders were not more willing to reach an agreement, Trump said:
“Because they are strong. They’re proud. There are things they never thought they’d be doing that they’re going to have to do, they’ve got no choice, and it takes a little while.”
The war began after the US and Israel launched military action against Iran on February 28. Since then, Tehran has fired missiles and drones at Gulf states hosting US military bases and has largely halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The conflict has pushed oil prices higher and disrupted global supply chains. The UN World Food Programme warned on Friday that rising fuel and transport costs were pushing millions of people closer to hunger.
Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, told CNN that any peace agreement depended on the Trump administration unfreezing $24 billion in Iranian assets. He also warned that the United States would “enter into a dark corridor” if it resumed attacks.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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