The US Central Command is concerned about Iranian naval drills, even though it is conducting its own war “readiness exercises”
The US military has issued a formal warning to Iran regarding its planned live-fire naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, while simultaneously carrying out major “readiness exercises” of its own across the Middle East.
In a statement released on Friday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) urged Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy to conduct its two-day drill starting Sunday “in a way that is safe, professional and avoids unnecessary risk.”
“We will not tolerate unsafe IRGC actions such as overflight of US military vessels engaged in flight operations, low-altitude or armed overflight of US military assets when intentions are unclear, high-speed boat approaches on a collision course with US military vessels, or weapons aimed at US forces,” the command stated.
The warning comes as the US itself is conducting large-scale, multi-day military drills across the region. US Air Forces Central (AFCENT) announced the “readiness exercise” this week, which is designed to practice the rapid deployment and sustainment of combat aircraft to various “contingency locations.”
These air drills supplement the naval buildup that President Donald Trump has publicly supported. “There’s another beautiful armada floating beautifully towards Iran right now,” Trump said earlier this week, referring to a carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln.
“We have a lot of very big, 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 prefers to resolve the tensions diplomatically. He repeated two core demands: “Number one, no nuclear. And number two, stop killing protesters.”
Tehran’s state media announced the exercises after Trump’s social media post warning that a potential “next attack will be far worse” than previous US strikes, and urging Iran to “MAKE A DEAL.”
Iran has defiantly responded to the threats. Its UN mission posted a warning on social media that while it is “ready for dialogue,” if pushed, it will “defend itself and respond like never before.” A deputy foreign minister separately claimed that the country is “200 percent ready” and would give an “appropriate response, not a proportionate one,” potentially targeting US bases.
The Strait of Hormuz, where Iran plans to exercise, is a crucial chokepoint for global oil shipments, with around 100 merchant vessels passing through daily. CENTCOM’s statement has recognized Iran’s right to “operate professionally” in international airspace and waters.