Fatal Skirmish Reported in Strait of Hormuz as Ceasefire Deal Edges Closer

File image: Sayyed Shahab Din Vajedi / CC BY 4.0

Following multiple social media reports of explosions along Iran's Strait of Hormuz coastline, the semi-official Fars News Agency claims that Iranian forces shot down a "hostile drone" over the Arabian Gulf.

According to Fars, a "system equipped with stealth capabilities" was used to shoot down a drone. The nature of this anti-aircraft system remains classified, the agency said.

The details of Fars' claim could not be verified. However, multiple Iranian social media accounts have reported a series of explosions in the vicinity of Bandar Abbas, Jask and Sirik. Iran-linked channels have also reported a small-scale run-in overnight between U.S. forces and the IRGC Navy in the strait, resulting in four Iranian fatalities.

"The IRGC targeted a vessel at sea, followed by U.S. fighter jets striking IRGC naval boats in the Gulf," reported Al Jazeera's Ali Hashem, citing an Iranian source. "Several IRGC Navy personnel were killed in the attack."

In a statement, U.S. Central Command confirmed an encounter resulting in U.S. military strikes.

“U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” a Centcom spokesperson told Fox News. “Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines."

On background, a senior U.S. official told Fox that American forces destroyed two Iranian boats that had been spotted laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, along with a surface-to-air missile site in Bandar Abbas.

Sensitive negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are under way and are believed to be closing in on a possible ceasefire extension. Centcom emphasized that the activity was defensive in nature, and did not represent a ceasefire violation.

Top image: Sayyed Shahab Din Vajedi / CC BY 4.0