Tehran: Fresh tension erupted in the Gulf on Thursday with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claiming responsibility for retaliatory strikes on an American air base.
This was in response toUS attacks in southern Iran, according to state broadcaster IRIB.
“Following this morning’s aggression by the invading US military against a location on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas Airport using aerial projectiles, the American air base that served as the source of the attack was targeted at 4:50 am (0120 GMT),” the IRGC said, as quoted by IRIB.
While Tehran did not disclose the exact location of the targeted base, Kuwait, a key US ally in the region, said it had responded to missile and drone attacks earlier on Thursday morning.
Iran further warned any kind of aggression from the US would draw a “more decisive” response and said the responsibility for the consequences lies with the “aggressor”, as reported by News18.
The US claims that it carried out “self-defence” strikes, targeting Iranian military infrastructure in the south of the country, hours after Tehran launched drones over the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (Centcom) saying its forces had intercepted four Iranian one-way attack drones “that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz”.The US military struck a facility in Bandar Abbas, Iran’s key port city along the Strait of Hormuz.
American forces also targeted the drones’ ground control station as Iran was preparing to launch a fifth drone, Centcom said.
Explosions to the east of Bandar Abbas were reported by Iranian state media following the strikes.
Bandar Abbas, located along Iran’s southern coastline, occupies a highly strategic position at the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit chokepoints through which a significant share of global crude supplies moves every day. The city serves as a major centre for Iran’s commercial shipping operations and is home to key naval installations and IRGC maritime units.
The nearby Shahid Rajaee port, Iran’s largest container hub, plays a crucial role in the country’s trade network and energy exports. Western security agencies have long considered the port strategically important due to its proximity to Iran’s naval and missile infrastructure.
