US, Iran trade new strikes, while American military escorts ships in Hormuz

The United States and Iran exchanged another round of military strikes over the weekend, marking the third escalation in just one week near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

US Central Command (Centcom) said it launched self-defense strikes after Iran shot down an MQ-1 American drone over international waters.

In response, US forces downed two Iranian attack drones and targeted air-defense radar and drone sites.

Caught between the hostile exchanges, Kuwait reported missile and drone attacks on Monday morning. It condemned Iran for the escalation, while Tehran labeled its military response a defensive measure.

Meanwhile, the US military has reportedly escorted nearly 70 commercial ships through the strait in recent weeks, per the New York Times, with many disabling transponders to avoid taking permissions from Iran or paying fees. Although a deal to reopen the strait appeared close last week, officials said President Trump has requested changes to the proposed agreement.