The United States military has shot down Iranian drones heading towards the Strait of Hormuz, according to a well-informed source cited by Reuters. The incident occurs amidst ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the war.
An official speaking to Reuters on Friday on condition of anonymity said the Iranian drones posed a threat to commercial shipping in the area.
According to a briefing from US Central Command (CENTCOM), Iran launched kamikaze drone attacks “in an effort to strike commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz,” at a moment when Washington and Tehran report progress in negotiations to end the war.
“US forces shot them all down in recent hours” and the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz “continues unhindered,” CENTCOM stated in a post on social media platform X.
US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Friday to halt drone attacks against commercial ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, underlining that the Iranians “better shape up, and fast!”.
The incident took place as Tehran, mediating Pakistan, and Washington expressed optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement to end the war in the Middle East following weeks of painstaking negotiations and dashed hopes.
However, the versions of a potential compromise presented by the Iranian media and Washington show significant differences.
“Once the final stages of our negotiations are completed, this agreement will be signed and announced,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state television. “This could happen within the coming days. I am optimistic,” he added.
Araghchi stated that the draft agreement provides for the lifting of the US blockade on Iranian ports and a new form of management for the Strait of Hormuz. But he accused Israel of looking for “pretexts” to “derail” a potential agreement with Washington.
Similar optimism was expressed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the main mediator in the conflict. “Peace has never been as close as it is today,” Shehbaz Sharif said.
In Washington, a senior official estimated the probability of a framework agreement opening a 60-day period of technical discussions at “80 to 85%”, but “not 100%”. “(The two sides) have not crossed the finish line yet,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.