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The U.S. military said Friday that American forces shot down four Iranian suicide drones headed toward the Strait of Hormuz before carrying out retaliatory strikes on Iranian radar installations along the Gulf coast.
In a statement posted on X, United States Central Command said the drones posed “an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic.”
“Moments ago, CENTCOM forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones that were launched toward the Strait of Hormuz,” the command said. “The attack drones posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic.”
CENTCOM said U.S. forces later targeted Iranian coastal surveillance radar facilities in Goruk and on Qeshm Island to prevent additional attacks.
“U.S. forces subsequently struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island to defend against further attacks,” the statement continued.
“American forces remain vigilant and postured to respond to unjustified Iranian aggression in self-defense.”
The latest exchange comes amid continuing tensions surrounding shipping lanes near Iran and the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil transport.
Washington has intensified enforcement actions against Iranian oil shipments, while Tehran has repeatedly threatened maritime activity in and around the waterway.
Although a ceasefire between the United States and Iran has technically remained in place since April 7, both sides have continued limited military operations in recent months.
Earlier Friday, Iran’s navy claimed it fired warning missiles and drones at U.S. warships operating in the Gulf of Oman, accusing the U.S. Navy of interfering with maritime traffic and seizing commercial vessels and oil tankers. CENTCOM denied the allegation.
“Iranian forces did NOT attack or fire at US Navy warships,” the command wrote in a separate X post.
“Doing so would be a gross violation of the ceasefire.”
CENTCOM also stated that American forces “continue to operate freely in regional waters while fully enforcing the ongoing blockade against Iran.”
Separately, Friday, the United States Indo-Pacific Command announced that U.S. forces conducted a maritime interdiction and boarding operation involving the sanctioned stateless vessel MT DAVINA in the Indian Ocean overnight.
“We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” INDOPACOM wrote on X.
The command added that “international waters cannot be used as a shield by sanctioned actors” and said the Department of War would continue restricting sanctioned vessels and networks operating in the maritime domain.