Washington DC: The United States military on Tuesday said it successfully intercepted multiple Iranian missile and drone attacks across the Gulf region and carried out self-defense strikes on an Iranian military facility on Qeshm Island. The developments mark the latest escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran, despite a ceasefire that has been in place since April.
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- The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Iran launched several ballistic missiles toward regional countries, but none reached their intended targets.
- According to CENTCOM, two missiles fired toward Kuwait either fell short or broke apart during flight.
- Three missiles launched at Bahrain were intercepted by US and Bahraini air defense systems before they could cause damage.
- Kuwait’s military confirmed that its air defenses were engaged in intercepting what it described as hostile missile and drone attacks.
- US forces also shot down three Iranian attack drones that were reportedly heading toward civilian commercial vessels transiting regional waters.
- In response, the US military conducted self-defense strikes against an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island, located near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
- CENTCOM said no US personnel were injured during the attacks or the subsequent military operation.
- Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed they had targeted the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and another regional air base.
- The US military rejected those claims, calling them false and stating that all Iranian attacks against American forces had failed.
- Qeshm Island sits along the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy shipping route that has faced major disruptions since fighting involving the US, Iran and Israel intensified earlier this year.
- A ceasefire between Washington and Tehran has remained in place since April 8, though efforts to negotiate a permanent agreement have so far failed.
- Iran warned on Monday that Israel’s expanding military campaign in Lebanon could undermine the existing US-Iran ceasefire.
- Separately, US forces recently disabled a vessel attempting to reach an Iranian port in violation of an American maritime blockade.
- Washington said it has now intercepted six ships allegedly attempting to breach the blockade imposed on Iran on April 13.
