The United States struck southern Iran on Thursday, after Iran fired drones at ships trying to cross the Strait of Hormuz, drawing retaliation from Tehran against a US military base, in the most serious clashes since an April ceasefire began.
The fighting, which drew in US ally Kuwait, threatened to jettison a fragile diplomatic push to forge a peace agreement and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has become a key point of contention in efforts to formally end the war.
The fresh fighting appeared to begin when Iranian forces fired at four ships attempting to cross the strait, state broadcaster IRIB reported on Thursday.
“Four vessels attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz and enter the Persian Gulf without coordination with the security forces,” IRIB posted on Telegram, saying the incident took place at around 12:35 a.m. local time. It did not provide details on the ships.
“They were warned, but after they ignored the warning, warning shots were fired at them, forcing them to return,” the broadcaster added.
US forces launched strikes that hit a ground control station in the southern port area of Bandar Abbas, a US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP.
According to Reuters, also citing a US official, the military also shot down four Iranian attack drones and hit the station before a fifth could launch.
“These actions were measured, purely defensive and intended to maintain the ceasefire,” the official said.
Three explosions were heard east of Bandar Abbas at around 1:30 a.m. local time, Iranian media reported early on Thursday, adding that air defenses were activated for several minutes and that authorities were following up to determine the origin of the sounds.
The attack prompted a swift response by Iran. A Guards spokesperson, quoted by IRIB, said it “targeted” the American base that the attack on Bandar Abbas was launched from at 4:50 a.m.
The Guards did not provide details on the location of the base, though Kuwait’s military said its air defenses responded to an “enemy” attack on Thursday.
Kuwait’s army said air defenses were deployed against missile and drone threats, without specifying their origin. It said explosions heard in the country were from interceptions.
Kuwait repeatedly came under fire from Iran and Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq during the war.
The exchange of fire was the second flare-up in fighting this week. US forces on Monday attacked missile sites in southern Iran and boats trying to lay mines, describing the moves as defensive.
The strikes drew a thinly veiled threat from Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, but Thursday marked the first time since fighting halted that Iran retaliated against the US, potentially ratcheting up tensions even as the sides attempt to hash out a deal suspending the conflict.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said the end of the war is close, but told the media at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday he was not yet satisfied on a deal with Iran and the US was not discussing easing sanctions on it.
The US is seeking a deal with Iran that will keep it from nuclear enrichment activities, and wants to extract a stockpile of already near-bomb grade uranium.
Aside from seeking sanctions relief, Iran is insisting that the US unfreeze Iranian funds, the deputy secretary of its National Security Council said, according to a report by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news outlet.
“We are seeking the release of all Iranian assets blocked by the United States, and this is the legal right of the Iranian nation,” Ali Bagheri Kani said. “Iran’s assets must be fully and unconditionally returned to Iran.”
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