US forces intercept Iranian drones over Strait of Hormuz

The interception came after weeks of halting talks between Tehran and Washington, mediated by Pakistan, that have been marked by threats and exchanges of fire despite a fragile truce agreed in April.

“US forces have downed all of them in recent hours as traffic flow through the strait continues unimpeded,” it said.

CENTCOM added that the Strait of Hormuz – a key maritime trade route for oil and gas from the Persian Gulf – “remains open for transit”, despite an Iranian-enforced blockade since the start of the war.

Disagreements between the two sides have persisted, with Iranian state media publishing a breakdown of what was purportedly on the table that was at odds with Washington’s account.