Amid rising friction between Tehran and Washington, Iran has repositioned strike drones and other military equipment under the pretense of joint naval exercises with Russia in the Strait of Hormuz, Fox News reports. Defense expert Cameron Chell described the move as a “calculated escalation” that puts Iranian aerial assets within striking distance of key U.S. and allied positions.
Reports from the Associated Press confirmed the joint drills, which coincided with President Donald Trump’s renewed efforts to pressure Iran into curbing its nuclear ambitions following indirect talks in Geneva. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump vowed, “We’re going to make a deal, or we’re going to get a deal one way or the other,” demonstrating a strong commitment to reaching an agreement.
Chell, who leads the defense technology firm Draganfly, said, “the Russian drills would cover for the Iranian forces to move their drones into strike position,” Chell, of defense firm Draganfly, told Fox News Digital. “They’ve gone under the veil of doing the military exercises, which happened to be along the coastline, and this is an escalation.”
At the same time, the Pentagon has increased its regional surveillance, Fox News reports. On February 18, U.S. Central Command released images of F/A-18 Super Hornet jets landing on the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. Flight-tracking data also revealed two U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton reconnaissance drones operating along Iran’s southern coast—one on February 14 and another four days later—conducting high-altitude intelligence runs across the Gulf.
“The U.S. deployed an MQ Triton drone, which is a surveillance drone, so it does not have strike capability, and it typically flies at around 50,000 feet,” Chell said, adding, “These drones can guide the U.S. on Iranian forces performing exercises with the Russians and where they might be moving equipment to.” Such action is done as a deterrent, Chell said, suggesting that Iranians get a clear message from it.
In addition to the reconnaissance drones, Chell reported sightings of a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper operating in the same region. Unlike the Triton, the Reaper is capable of precision strikes at altitudes between 25,000 and 40,000 feet. He noted that the Iranians do not have strong systems to counter or neutralize these.
The unfolding situation adds to a broader sense of unease across the Middle East. The USS Gerald R. Ford—the second American carrier strike group deployed to the region under Trump—continues its voyage through the Atlantic toward the Mediterranean. Regional apprehension deepened Thursday when Poland urged its citizens to leave Iran, warning that “the possibility of conflict is very real.”