Iran to hold mly exercises near Hormuz

Tehran: Iran´s army begins Thursday military exercises in strategic southern regions east of the Strait of Hormuz, state news agency IRNA reported.

Joint drills involving air, land and naval forces -- including both drones and submarines -- will take place around the southeastern port of Jask “east of the Strait of Hormuz”, deputy coordinator of the armed forces Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told IRNA.

The Strait of Hormuz is the strategic chokepoint at the head of the Gulf through which a fifth of world oil output passes. Exercises will involve “infantry, armoured and mechanised units of the ground forces, defence systems of the air defence force (and) subsurface and surface vessels”, he said. Naval forces with the support of “strategic bombers of the air force” will also take part.