Tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply this Thursday as the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced retaliatory strikes against a US air base, following earlier American military actions near the strategic port city of Bandar Abbas.
According to a statement released by the IRGC via its official news outlet, Sepah News, the retaliatory operation took place at 4:50 a.m. local time. The IRGC described the strike as a "stern warning" in response to US aerial projectiles that targeted an area near the Bandar Abbas airport in the early hours of the morning.
The sequence of events began around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, when three explosions were reported east of Bandar Abbas along the Strait of Hormuz, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. US media outlets later confirmed that the US military had conducted overnight strikes targeting a military site, which Washington claimed posed a direct threat to American forces and commercial shipping in the region.
The US perspective, as cited by CBS News, describes these strikes as defensive measures. A US official further noted that American forces intercepted drones launched from Iran during the encounter, asserting that the existing ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains in place despite the hostilities.
However, Iranian sources offer a different account of the catalyst. The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the US strikes occurred after Iranian naval forces stopped four vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz without permission. Military sources claimed the IRGC Navy fired warning shots toward a US oil tanker, forcing it to turn back, which subsequently led to the US strikes on open ground around Bandar Abbas. No casualties or significant damage were reported from the initial US strikes.
The diplomatic fallout was immediate. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei issued a strong condemnation on social media, labeling the US actions as "military aggression" and citing repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement. Baghaei also criticized threatening remarks directed at Iran and other regional partners.
For global investors and maritime analysts, the volatility in the Strait of Hormuz remains a critical point of concern, as the region continues to navigate a fragile balance between military deterrence and diplomatic stability.
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Iran's IRGC targets US air base after US strikes on southern port city
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