On February 17, 2026, Iran escalated tensions by temporarily closing the Strait of Hormuz for live-fire drills, coinciding with ongoing nuclear negotiations with the United States in Geneva. During these drills, Iran fired live missiles towards the Strait, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issuing a stark warning that the U.S. warship deployed in the Gulf could be sunk. Khamenei emphasized, "A warship is certainly a dangerous weapon, but even more dangerous is the weapon capable of sinking it" (South China Morning Post). This aggressive posturing aligns with military exercises conducted by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which began on February 16, aimed at addressing 'potential security and military threats' in this critical waterway (The Hindu).