US says it downed two Iranian drones heading to Bahrain

Detailed summary

US Central Command ‌has denied an Iranian Revolutionary Guards statement that ‌Iran had ‌struck ⁠one of its ​early-warning radar systems in Bahrain.

The US military says its forces have shot down two attack drones launched by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps towards Bahrain, with no harm caused.

Iran had said its strike - which it declared had hit a US early-warning radar in Bahrain - was in retaliation for what it described as an air attack on a telecommunications tower in its Hormozgan province, according to Iranian state media.

The claim came during a fragile lull in the conflict between Iran and the United States, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 and has since spread across the region.

Iran launched missile and drone attacks on US bases in Gulf countries and sought to restrict shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil and gas supplies.

The Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Thursday that there had been two explosions on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

The two vessels had been travelling on an "unauthorised" route when they were hit by explosions, the Iranian military organisation said.

According to the Revolutionary Guards, the ships were supertankers that together carried more than 4 million barrels of oil.

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