Iran vows to conduct live-fire military drills in critical sea passage — after US announced its own
Iran announced Thursday that it will conduct live-fire military exercises next week in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important sea lanes, which handles roughly 20% of global oil shipments. The announcement comes just two days after the U.S. said it would carry out its own military drills in the region.
The Islamic Republic issued a warning to all vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Jon Gambrell, Gulf and Iran news director for The Associated Press, who shared the notice on X. The message indicated that Iran plans “naval shootings” on Sunday and Monday.
The U.S. military, meanwhile, announced multi-day exercises in the Middle East as President Trump’s “massive armada” arrived in the region. Air Forces Central, the air component of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said the drills are intended to “demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility,” while highlighting regional partnerships and rapid response capabilities amid rising tensions with Tehran over the government’s crackdown on anti-regime protesters.
The specific timing and locations of the U.S. exercises have not been disclosed, making it unclear if they will overlap with Iran’s drills. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group reached the region on Monday as President Trump weighs military options regarding Tehran.
In addition to the aircraft carrier, which carries nearly 5,000 sailors and several fighter jets, the U.S. deployed a squadron of F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, the same unit involved in strikes on Iran in 2024, according to the Washington Post. The guided-missile destroyer USS Delbert D. Black also arrived Thursday, bringing the total U.S. warship presence in the region to around ten, according to ship-tracking data.
President Trump said Wednesday that additional military assets are en route and called on Iran to negotiate a “fair and equitable deal” on its nuclear program. “Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties,” he wrote on Truth Social.
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