Washington, United States. U.S. forces struck Iranian coastal radar and surveillance sites on Saturday after shooting down drones launched by Iran toward the Strait of Hormuz, according to the U.S. military. The latest exchange added to tensions as efforts to end the war between the two countries remained stalled.
U.S. strikes follow drone interceptions
The U.S. military said it shot down four Iranian drones that it believed were targeting regional maritime traffic, a U.S. official told Reuters. U.S. Central Command said on X that U.S. forces then struck Iran’s surveillance sites in Goruk and Qeshm Island, both located on the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran reports retaliation in the region
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted U.S. bases in the region with missiles in retaliation for U.S. strikes. It also said it fired on four tankers attempting to cross the strait without its permission.
Air defence activity in Kuwait and Bahrain
Kuwaiti air defences were intercepting missile and drone attacks of undisclosed origin, state media reported. In Bahrain, sirens sounded and residents were urged to seek shelter.
Iran said it had hit U.S. bases in both countries with ballistic missiles. The U.S. military said six missiles were intercepted and a seventh did not reach its target.
Negotiations remain deadlocked
The United States and Iran have been engaged in largely indirect negotiations to secure an interim deal to halt the three-month-old war, while leaving issues including Iran’s nuclear programme to further negotiations. Despite periodic skirmishes, a deal has remained elusive.
As part of any agreement, Tehran wants access to billions of dollars in oil revenue, waivers on sanctions on crude exports, the lifting of a U.S. blockade on its ports and leverage over the strait. Iran has effectively blocked the strait, where about a fifth of the world’s oil transited before the war.
Trump cites domestic pressure and remaining Iranian arsenal
U.S. President Donald Trump is facing mounting domestic political pressure due to rising gas prices to bring the war to an end. He told NBC that while most of Iran’s drone and missile manufacturing facilities had been destroyed, Iran still had access to about a fifth of its missiles.
“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, if as desperate as he has portrayed them, were not more inclined to strike a deal, Trump said:
