**TEHRAN, Iran** — On Tuesday, **November 7, 2023**, China, Iran, and Russia conducted joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman, near the strategic **Strait of Hormuz**. This region is significant as it is the passage for approximately one-fifth of all crude oil traded globally. The drills, named **Maritime Security Belt 2025**, come at a time when there are heightened concerns over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and threats from **Yemen’s Houthi rebels** to attack maritime vessels.
This year’s exercises represent the fifth annual collaboration among these three nations. Historical context reveals that the waters surrounding the Strait of Hormuz have previously seen Iran seize commercial vessels and launch attacks, particularly since the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal under President **Donald Trump**.
As part of the drills, the **British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center** warned on the evening before that there had been **GPS interference** in the region, adversely affecting navigation for several hours and causing crews to resort to backup systems. Intelligence analyst **Shaun Robertson** noted that such GPS jamming may be aimed at reducing the targeting capability of drones and missiles and highlighted that similar electronic navigation disruptions had occurred during previous military exercises.
**China’s Defense Ministry** reported the deployment of the guided-missile destroyer **Baotou** and the comprehensive supply ship **Gaoyouhu**, while **Russia’s Defense Ministry** identified their vessels as the corvettes **Rezky** and **Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov**, along with the tanker **Pechenega**. However, no information regarding personnel counts from either nation was disclosed.
Notably, while China and Russia have considerable interests in Iran—China being a major purchaser of Iranian oil despite Western sanctions, and Russia sourcing drones from Iran for its conflict in Ukraine—both countries do not actively patrol the broader Middle East waterway, which remains under the purview of the **U.S. Navy’s Bahrain-based 5th Fleet**. Observers from nations including **Azerbaijan, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, South Africa, Sri Lanka**, and the **United Arab Emirates** attended the drills, likely with U.S. oversight.
Iran’s state-run television highlighted these exercises as a means to bolster public support following an Israeli attack targeting Iranian air defenses and missile sites. This comes amid a destabilizing effect of Israeli operations against Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” allies, alongside Iran’s recent intensification of uranium enrichment activities, nearing weapons-grade levels, despite its declarations that the nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s **Houthi rebels** have reiterated threats to disrupt shipping in critical maritime passages such as the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, claiming to initiate attacks on vessels linked to Israel if humanitarian aid to Gaza does not resume promptly. The rebels, known for targeting merchant vessels, had previously sunk two ships and endangered over 100 others during their campaigns.
This report was co-authored by **Gambrell**, who is based in **Dubai, United Arab Emirates**.
