The United States said it shot down dozens of Iranian drones targeting commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz early Saturday, hours after both sides said a deal to end the Middle East war was closer than ever.
The ban came after weeks of stalling talks between Tehran and Washington, brokered by Pakistan, which have been marred by threats and exchanges of fire despite a fragile accord agreed in April.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees operations in the region, posted on social media that Iran “has launched multiple drones in an attempt to hit commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz”.
“US forces have brought down all of them in recent hours as traffic in the stretch continues unhindered,” it said.
CENTCOM added that the Strait of Hormuz – the main maritime trade route for oil and gas from the Persian Gulf – “remains open to traffic”, despite the blockade imposed by Iran since the start of the war.
The standoff between the two sides has continued, with Iranian state media publishing an analysis of what was allegedly on the table that contradicted Washington’s account.
