US Central Command fears Iran naval drills even as it holds its own war ‘readiness exercises’
The US military has issued a formal warning to Iran ahead of a planned live-fire naval exercise in the Strait of Hormuz while carrying out major “preparedness exercise” their own across the Middle East.
In a statement released on Friday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) called on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy to conduct its two-day exercise starting Sunday. “in a way that is safe, professional and avoids unnecessary risk.”
“We will not tolerate dangerous actions by the IRGC including overflights of US military vessels engaged in air operations, low-altitude overflights of US military assets or armed overflights when intentions are unclear, approaches of high-speed boats to collide with US military vessels, or weapons trained on US forces,” stated the command.
The warning comes as the US itself is conducting large-scale, multi-day military exercises across the region. US Air Force Headquarters (AFCENT) announced “preparedness exercise” this week, designed to practice rapid deployment and sustainment of combat aircraft on various “emergency locations.”
The air exercises complement the naval buildup that President Donald Trump has publicly pushed for. “There is another beautiful army that is sailing beautifully towards Iran right now,” Trump said this earlier this week, referring to an aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln.
“We have many very large, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn’t have to use them.” Trump told reporters on Thursday, adding that he preferred to resolve tensions diplomatically. He reiterated two basic requirements: “Number one, no nukes. And number two, stop killing the protesters.”
Tehran’s state media announced the drills after Trump’s social media post warned it was a potential “The next attack will be worse” than previous US strikes and pressure on Iran “MAKE A DEAL.”
Iran responded to the threats with defiance. Her UN mission posted a warning on social media that while standing “ready to dialogue”, if pushed, she will “defend and react like never before.” The Deputy Foreign Minister separately claimed that the country is “200 percent ready” and he would add “an appropriate response, not an adequate one”, potentially targeting American bases.
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The Strait of Hormuz, where Iran is planning drills, is a critical point for global oil supplies, with roughly 100 commercial ships passing through each day. The CENTCOM statement recognized Iran’s right to do so “act professionally” in international airspace and waters.
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