U.S. Strikes Iranian Radar Sites After Drone Intercepts Over Strait of Hormuz

CNBC reported Saturday that U.S. forces shot down four Iranian drones over the Strait of Hormuz before destroying two Iranian coastal surveillance installations in a sharp new escalation of the three-month conflict.

U.S. and Iran Exchange Blows Near the Strait of Hormuz

U.S. Central Command announced via X that it had targeted Iranian radar posts at Goruk and on Qeshm Island. Both sites sit on the strait’s coastline. A U.S. official told Reuters the drones appeared aimed at disrupting commercial shipping in the waterway.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps responded by launching ballistic missiles at American military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. The IRGC also claimed strikes on four tankers it alleged were crossing the strait without authorization. The U.S. military said six of the incoming missiles were intercepted and one failed to reach its intended target.

Kuwait and Bahrain both activated air defenses. Kuwait’s foreign ministry labeled the Iranian attacks a “blatant act of aggression” that threatened citizens and regional stability. Sirens sent Bahrain residents seeking shelter Saturday morning.

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Background: A War Now Three Months Old

The conflict began February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran. Tehran responded by throttling traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that once carried roughly one-fifth of global oil supply. The disruption has driven up energy prices worldwide and strained food supply chains. The U.N. World Food Program warned Friday that rising fuel and transport costs are pushing millions of people closer to hunger.

Negotiations toward an interim deal have made little headway. Tehran is demanding the unfreezing of roughly $24 billion in assets, sanctions relief on crude exports, and removal of a U.S. port blockade. An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader told CNN the U.S. risks entering a “dark corridor” if strikes continue.

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Mediation Efforts and Trump’s Assessment

President Donald Trump acknowledged Friday that Iran retains roughly 20 percent of its original missile and drone stockpile. Speaking to NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” he said Tehran’s reluctance to negotiate reflects national pride rather than bargaining strength.

Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who has been mediating between the parties, was reportedly en route to Tehran on Saturday. Islamabad had not confirmed the trip at time of publication.

A separate front in Lebanon saw Iran-aligned Hezbollah claim two new attacks on Israeli forces Friday, widening the regional strain.

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