A fragile ceasefire shattered overnight as U.S. and regional forces engaged in a heavy exchange of fire with Iran across the Persian Gulf, directly threatening key shipping lanes and neighboring countries.
U.S. Central Command confirmed that American forces shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones overnight Saturday local time. According to military officials, the drones were heading toward the Strait of Hormuz and “posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic.”
In response to the drone launches, the U.S. military launched retaliatory airstrikes targeting Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites located in Goruk and on Qeshm Island.
“CENTCOM forces remain vigilant and postured to continue responding to unwarranted Iranian aggression in self-defense,” the military said in an official statement.
Simultaneously, a major missile barrage targeted neighboring Gulf states. Iran launched seven ballistic missiles toward Kuwait and Bahrain late Friday night. CENTCOM reported that air defense systems successfully intercepted six of those missiles, while one failed to hit its target.
Despite those interceptions, the regional situation worsened as the night progressed. Early Saturday morning, Bahrain’s interior ministry announced on X that emergency warning sirens were sounding across the island country, urging citizens and residents to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.”
Bahrain’s military later reported that its own air defense systems destroyed three additional missiles during ongoing attacks targeting civilians. The Bahraini military stated that its forces “are at the highest readiness.” Kuwait’s army also confirmed it was actively dealing with “hostile missile and drone attacks.” Both Gulf states host critical U.S. military bases.
The sudden spike in military activity comes as diplomatic efforts to secure a permanent peace deal between Washington and Tehran hit a wall.
Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, stated that negotiations “are at a deadlock and Trump must break this deadlock. The ball is in Trump’s court.”
Rezaei stated that Iran is demanding the U.S. unseal billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets as a “test that America must pass” to build trust. He warned that if the U.S. blockade continues, Iran could expand the war to the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and launch attacks on U.S. bases. Rezaei also dismissed the possibility of a direct meeting between Trump and the Supreme Leader, saying, “This will not happen.”
President Trump offered a different view of the situation before the overnight attacks took place. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said, “The situation with Iran seems to be going quite well.”
In a subsequent interview with NBC News, Trump attributed the delay in reaching an agreement to Iranian pride, saying, “They’re proud” and “it takes a little while.” He argued that previous U.S. administrations allowed the Iranian regime to “get away with murder,” making the current U.S. demands “a very hard thing for them.”
Trump also noted that the war is “largely finished,” but added that it would conclude either “with a piece of paper, or finished a more difficult way.”
The ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to pressure global markets, though Trump noted that “a lot of oil” is still getting through, keeping prices at $97 a barrel rather than spiking to $300.
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett acknowledged that high gas prices, currently averaging $4.22 a gallon in the U.S., and skyrocketing fertilizer costs are hurting consumers and farmers. Hassett stated that the administration expects these disruptions to be temporary and fixable “relatively quickly” once a deal is signed. However, outside experts, including GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan, warned it could take until mid- to late-2027 for energy prices to return to pre-war levels.
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