The United States military intercepted four drones launched from Iran and carried out a strike on a drone control facility in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, according to multiple US media reports citing unnamed American officials on Wednesday night.
Reports by CNN and The New York Times stated that the strike on Bandar Abbas also prevented a fifth drone from being launched.
US Central Command confirmed that American forces shot down four one-way attack drones that were considered a threat in the area surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. The military also targeted a ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was reportedly preparing to launch another drone.
“Today, U.S. Central Command forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz. US forces also struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone. These actions were measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire,” a US official said in a statement cited by MS NOW.
According to the statement, both the drones and the control facility were viewed as threats to maritime security in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The latest operation followed overnight “self-defense” strikes conducted from Monday into Tuesday, during which the Pentagon said US forces targeted Iranian missile positions and mine-laying vessels amid rising tensions in the Gulf region.
US officials described the military actions as defensive measures aimed at preserving a fragile ceasefire agreement currently in place between Washington and Tehran.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media reported that at least three explosions were heard east of Bandar Abbas. The blasts briefly activated the city’s air defense systems, according to Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The latest developments come as tensions remain high despite the ongoing ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
