As Trump Tells NBC That Iran Retains 21-22% Of Its Prewar Missile Stock And Iranian Drones Kill One At Kuwait Airport Days Earlier, Friday’s Hormuz Drone Salvo Marks The Most Significant Escalation Since The Ceasefire Was Declared
According to The New York Times, CBC and CENTCOM, the US military shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones that were launched toward the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, June 5. US forces subsequently struck Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in Goruk in response, raising the risk to a shaky ceasefire as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on Iran.
CENTCOM said in a statement: “Moments ago, CENTCOM forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones that were launched toward the Strait of Hormuz. The attack drones posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic.” Iran’s Mehr news agency characterised the launches as warning shots fired near the strait, linked to movement of US ships in the area.
Earlier this week, Iranian drones heavily damaged a passenger terminal at Kuwait’s main airport, killing one person, wounding dozens and briefly closing the airfield. Friday’s Hormuz incident is the latest in a series of back-and-forth attacks straining the tenuous ceasefire reached in April, and it follows Trump’s comments to NBC that Tehran likely retains 21 to 22 percent of its prewar missile stock.
The US-Israeli war with Iran, which began with joint air strikes on February 28, has disrupted key shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz, which has sharply constrained global energy flows and supply chains.
To check out our previous coverage on the US-Iran conflict and the Hormuz crisis, read our articles here.
