U.S. Warns Iran Over Strait Of Hormuz Live-Fire Drills

U.S. Central Command said on Jan. 30 that it would not tolerate "unsafe and unprofessional" actions by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps during a two-day live-fire naval exercise in the Strait of Hormuz starting Feb. 1.

The Strait of Hormuz handles about 20% of global oil shipments, making any disruption from naval drills potentially significant, the U.S. Energy Information Administration says.

The situation was marked by conflicting accounts: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi mocked the U.S. warning in a post on X, while U.S. Central Command reiterated that risky behavior near U.S. forces could lead to escalation, officials said.

A notice to mariners warned Thursday of "naval shooting" on Sunday and Monday and provided coordinates that could enter the 3.2-kilometer Traffic Separation Scheme inside the strait's narrowest 33-kilometer span, maritime authorities said.

Egypt's foreign ministry said on Saturday that Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty held calls with Iranian, Turkish and Omani counterparts and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff to pursue de-escalation, according to an official statement.