Iran Shuts Airspace, Launches Hormuz Drills Amid US Tensions

Strait of Hormuz – (Web Desk) – Iran has issued an aviation warning announcing live-fire military exercises in airspace near the Strait of Hormuz, coming just hours after US military forces moved into the region, underscoring rising tensions.

The Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), released on Tuesday, said Iranian forces will conduct live-fire drills between January 27 and 29 within a five-nautical-mile zone around the strait. During this period, the airspace from ground level up to 25,000 feet will be restricted and considered unsafe for aircraft.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, with millions of barrels of oil transported through it daily. Any interference in the area often triggers concerns in global energy markets and raises geopolitical alarm.

The warning coincides with increased US military activity, as US Air Forces Central announced a multi-day readiness exercise across the region to showcase its ability to deploy and sustain forces rapidly.

US officials have said they are keeping all options open in addressing Iran, including possible military measures, as Washington and Israel work to curb Tehran’s regional influence. Iranian officials have responded by warning that any attack would be met with a “swift and comprehensive” retaliation.

The temporary airspace restrictions are expected to affect both civilian and military flights passing through the area. Such notices are routinely issued ahead of live-fire exercises to alert pilots and airlines to potential hazards and short-term airspace closures.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers have crossed into the Middle East region, which comes under the US military’s Central Command, the officials told Reuters.

“There is another beautiful armada floating beautifully towards Iran right now,” Trump said in a speech.

“I hope they make a deal.”

The warships began deploying from the Asia-Pacific region earlier this month, as tensions between Iran and the United States escalated following a crackdown on protests across Iran.

Trump had repeatedly threatened to intervene if Iran continued to kill protesters, but the countrywide demonstrations have since abated. The president said he had been told that killings were subsiding and that he believes there is currently no plan for the executions of prisoners.

The US military has in the past surged forces into the Middle East at times of heightened tensions, moves that were often defensive.

However, the US military staged a major buildup last year ahead of its June strikes against Iran’s nuclear programme.

In addition to the carrier and warships, the Pentagon is also moving fighter jets and air-defence systems to the Middle East.

Meantime, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that “Trump will decide what he decides; the State of Israel will decide what it decides”.

Indian actor Sachin Chandwadekar commits suicide in Maharashtra

But, he added, if Iran attacked Israel, “we will respond with a force that Iran has never seen”.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hit out at US “threats” in a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, saying they were “aimed at disrupting the security of the region and will achieve nothing other than instability”.

The US also maintains several bases in the Middle East, prompting a Revolutionary Guards commander to issue a warning to Iran’s neighbours on Tuesday.

“Neighbouring countries are our friends, but if their soil, sky, or waters are used against Iran, they will be considered hostile,” Mohammad Akbarzadeh, political deputy of the IRGC naval forces, was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.

A senior Iranian official said last week that Tehran would consider any attack as an “all-out war against us.”

“This military build-up – we hope it is not intended for real confrontation – but our military is ready for the worst-case scenario. This is why everything is on high alert in Iran,” said the senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“This time we will treat any attack – limited, unlimited, surgical, kinetic, whatever they call it – as an all-out war against us, and we will respond in the hardest way possible to settle this,” the official said.

Ishaq Dar, Chinese Ambassador Review Pak-China Bilateral Cooperation

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates assured Iran that they will not let their airspace, territory or territorial waters be used for any hostile military actions against the Islamic republic.

The US military’s Al Dhafra Air Base is located south of the UAE capital Abu Dhabi and has been a critical US Air Force hub in support of key missions against the Islamic State, as well as reconnaissance deployments across the region.