The U.S. military launched new strikes targeting an Iranian drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official confirmed on Wednesday. The strikes came just hours after President Trump dismissed reports of a framework deal to reopen the strategic waterway.
The official said four Iranian attack drones were shot down and a ground control station in Bandar Abbas was hit before it could launch a fifth drone. The action, described as measured and defensive, aims to preserve a ceasefire in effect since early April.
Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that the Revolutionary Guards fired on a U.S. oil tanker trying to transit the strait, forcing it to turn back. The U.S. military then struck open ground near Bandar Abbas with no casualties reported.
Oil prices rebounded more than 2% on the news, with U.S. crude futures climbing to $90.38 a barrel.
At a cabinet meeting, Trump rejected an Iranian state TV report suggesting an informal deal for Oman and Iran to jointly manage traffic through the strait. "Nobody's going to control it," Trump said, warning that Oman would comply or face consequences.
The Iranian report claimed the U.S. would lift its port blockade and withdraw forces nearby, but the White House dismissed the report as a "complete fabrication."
Iranian officials remain defiant, insisting on the right to enrich uranium and control the strait. The three-month conflict has killed thousands and sent global energy prices soaring.