U.S. and Iran Swap Blows as War Negotiations Drag On

Dueling strikes between the United States and Iran over the weekend underscored the fragility of a ceasefire that has been repeatedly violated even as both sides attempt to negotiate a formal end to the conflict.

U.S. Central Command confirmed strikes on Iranian radar and drone facilities near Geruk and on Qeshm Island, carried out after Iran downed a U.S. MQ-1 Predator drone over international waters. American fighter jets destroyed Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two attack drones threatening regional shipping. No U.S. personnel were injured.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards responded with a strike, likely targeting the U.S. military installation in Kuwait, which hosts Army Central. Kuwait confirmed activating air defenses to intercept drone and missile threats. Iranian state television broadcast footage of a ballistic missile launch.

The broader context remains tense. Iran has kept the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed since the war began on February 28, disrupting a shipping corridor that once carried a fifth of the world’s oil. Negotiations are stalled over Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, and demands for frozen assets. Iran’s chief negotiator warned no deal would be accepted unless Iranian rights were fully protected.

Trump, posting on Truth Social, maintained that Iran wants a deal and asked critics to “sit back and relax.” Oil prices climbed Monday as market hopes for an imminent agreement faded.