Naval forces of Iran and Russia held a joint drill in the Gulf of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean, amid growing speculation about an impending US military strike against Iran. As per media reports, the drill involved Iran’s Alvand destroyer, missile-launching warships, helicopters, landing craft, special operation teams, and combat speedboats, among others. The exercise followed an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) drill in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, which included a temporary closure of the strategic waterway.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump yesterday said that Iran has 10 to 15 days to reach a deal over its nuclear programme, warning that otherwise really bad things will happen.
Last week, Trump ordered the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, to the Middle East, reinforcing the USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying guided-missile destroyers already in the region
