U.S. Strikes Iran as Gulf Ceasefire Frays Under Missile and Drone Fire

U.S. Strikes Iran as Gulf Ceasefire Frays Under Missile and Drone Fire

Emmitt Barry

The United States carried out fresh self-defense strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island on Tuesday after American forces intercepted Iranian drones and missiles aimed at regional waters, Kuwait, and Bahrain, U.S. Central Command said.

CENTCOM said the strikes targeted an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island, a strategic location near the Strait of Hormuz, after U.S. forces shot down three Iranian one-way attack drones launched toward civilian mariners and vessels operating in the region.

Iran later fired multiple ballistic missiles toward Bahrain and Kuwait, according to the U.S. military. Three missiles aimed at Bahrain were intercepted by U.S. and Bahraini air defenses, while two missiles launched toward Kuwait failed before reaching their targets.

“No U.S. personnel were harmed,” CENTCOM said, adding that American forces “remain vigilant and ready to defend against unwarranted Iranian aggression during the ongoing ceasefire.”

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, saying it targeted the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters and other American military assets in the region. The IRGC said the attacks were retaliation for what it described as a U.S. strike on a communications site south of Qeshm Island.

The latest exchange comes as the Trump administration seeks to maintain pressure on Tehran while keeping fragile peace negotiations alive. Reports this week suggested Iran had suspended talks over continued fighting in Lebanon, though President Donald Trump denied that claim and said negotiations were continuing.

Earlier Tuesday, U.S. forces also disabled an empty Botswana-flagged oil tanker that CENTCOM said was attempting to reach Iran’s Kharg Island in defiance of the American blockade on Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz.

According to CENTCOM, U.S. forces issued repeated warnings over a 24-hour period before an American aircraft fired a missile into the tanker’s engine room, disabling the vessel. The command said it was the sixth commercial vessel disabled since the blockade went into effect on April 13.

A similar incident occurred Friday, when U.S. forces disabled a Gambia-flagged ship in the Gulf of Oman after more than 20 warnings were issued to its crew.

The escalation underscores the growing danger around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. Iran has repeatedly threatened to make U.S. military operations in the Gulf costly, while Washington has vowed to protect American forces, regional allies, and civilian maritime traffic.