In a targeted attack on Iranian coastal radar installations, the U.S. military forces struck on Saturday. The move came in response to Iran’s recent launch of several drones towards the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, which is upsetting the current attempts to end the three-month-old conflict between the two countries.

Military officials suspected the four drones that they intercepted were in the process of attacking regional maritime traffic, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. In response, U.S. troops have destroyed surveillance bases in Goruk and on Qeshm Island.

Retaliation and Regional Security Threats

The U.S. operation by the Navy was followed by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs‘ condemnation of the attack as a violation of a ceasefire announced on April 8, and a warning of “serious consequences.” Later, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatened to fire back at the U.S. military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.

The Kuwaiti military said it intercepted seven ballistic missiles over residential areas, but that no one had been hurt or there was material damage. Residents of Bahrain took shelter during an emergency due to air raid sirens. U.S. military sources said they shot down six of the missiles, while a seventh flew off course.

Indirect dialogue between Washington and Tehran persists despite the arm-wrestling between the two sides. Iran is seeking to have a U.S. blockade removed on its ports, billions of dollars in frozen oil money released, and sanctions lifted. The release of frozen $24 billion in assets is a condition for any type of peace deal, said an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

Pakistan has taken centre stage as a mediator in efforts to secure an interim deal. On Saturday, Pakistan’s minister of interior, Mohsin Naqvi, came to Tehran with a special message from his government to Iran’s Supreme Leader.

The White House is already under pressure at home to find a way to get out of the unwelcome conflict, especially as oil prices continue to rise in the world. President Donald Trump has recently pointed out in an interview with NBC that the U.S. has disabled most of Iran’s drone and missile production, but it still has about a tenth of its arsenal.

In addition to the Gulf War, there is another behind-the-scenes conflict in Lebanon that is deeply involved in the Gulf hostilities. More recently, Tehran has insisted that any larger peace agreement with the U.S. include an Israeli-Hezbollah ceasefire as a condition.

An Israeli airstrike that killed two officers and a soldier from the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon further raised tensions in the region. The army commander of Lebanon, General Rudolf Haykal, then left the country and went to Pakistan without the latter’s government knowing, immediately after that event, and thus bringing the growing mediation role of Pakistan’s government to the fore.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has formally rejected a U.S.-brought together deal meant to calm the clashes in Lebanon, sort of saying that the Israeli withdrawal terms have not been achieved yet. Israel has made it clear that it will not pause the fighting inside the country, and that’s raised the temperature with the U.S. mediators who are trying to help broker a cease-fire.