Iran Says It Targeted US Airbase After Strike Near Bandar Abbas Airport
Tensions in the Gulf escalated sharply on Thursday after Iran claimed responsibility for a retaliatory strike against a US military base following American attacks near the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said its forces launched missiles at a US airbase in response to what it described as a “pre-dawn aggression” carried out by the United States near Bandar Abbas Airport.
“Following the pre-dawn aggression today by the invading American army against a point on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas Airport using aerial projectiles, the American airbase, as the origin of the aggression, was targeted at 4:50 a.m.,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.
The Guards warned Washington that the strike served as a “serious warning” and vowed that any further US military action would be met with a “more decisive and forceful response.”
Iranian officials did not specify which American base had been targeted. However, around the same time, Kuwait’s military announced that its air defense systems were responding to “hostile missile and drone attacks.” Kuwaiti authorities did not identify the source of the attack, and it remains unclear whether the incident was directly connected to Iran’s claimed retaliation.
US Says Strikes Were “Defensive”
The latest confrontation comes after the United States confirmed that it had carried out a series of what it described as “defensive strikes” against Iranian military assets.
According to a US official speaking to Al Arabiya English, American forces intercepted and destroyed four one-way attack drones launched toward a US commercial vessel operating in the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes.
Following the drone interceptions, US forces struck an Iranian drone launch unit and a ground-control station in Bandar Abbas, which Washington said posed a threat to US personnel and maritime traffic in the region.
The official emphasized that the strikes were defensive in nature and insisted that the United States remained committed to maintaining the fragile ceasefire currently under negotiation.
“These actions were taken to protect US forces and ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” the official said.
The operation marked the second round of US strikes against Iranian-linked targets in less than three days.
Explosions Reported in Bandar Abbas
Iranian media reported hearing at least three loud explosions in Bandar Abbas during the early hours of Thursday morning. Authorities said the blasts occurred near military and port facilities but claimed there were no casualties or major damage.
Bandar Abbas, home to Iran’s main naval facilities and a key hub overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, has become an increasingly sensitive flashpoint amid rising tensions between Tehran, Washington, and Israel.
The renewed military exchanges come after US President Donald Trump warned that the United States would “finish the job” if Iran refused to agree to a broader peace arrangement aimed at ending the escalating regional conflict.
Kuwait and Gulf States on Alert
Kuwait’s military confirmed that its air defenses had engaged incoming missiles and drones over the country’s airspace. No casualties or infrastructure damage were immediately reported.
The Gulf region remains on heightened alert as fears grow that direct confrontation between Iran and the United States could spread beyond the Strait of Hormuz and draw neighboring states deeper into the conflict.
Military analysts say any disruption in the strategic waterway could have major implications for global energy markets, as nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the narrow maritime corridor.
Regional Tensions Expand
The crisis has also intensified elsewhere in the region. The Israeli military issued new forced displacement orders for residents across southern Lebanon, instructing civilians to move north of the Zahrani River, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the Israeli border.
Israeli officials declared all areas south of the river to be “combat zones” as military operations against Hezbollah continue to expand.
Humanitarian organizations have warned of an “absolute catastrophe” unfolding in southern Lebanon amid intensified Israeli airstrikes and a widening ground offensive.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to negotiate an end to the US-Israel confrontation with Iran appear increasingly fragile. Washington and Tehran continue to issue conflicting statements regarding possible negotiations and sanctions relief.
President Trump stated on Wednesday that there would be “no easing of sanctions” on Iran unless Tehran accepted broader conditions for a final agreement, further complicating ongoing diplomatic efforts.
With military exchanges intensifying and regional actors on high alert, fears are mounting that the conflict could spiral into a broader regional war involving multiple fronts across the Middle East.
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