Key facts
- Iran's IRGC claimed to attack a US airbase after a US strike near Bandar Abbas.
- The US military shot down four Iranian attack drones near the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran's IRGC vowed to respond more strongly to any future US attacks.
- US President Donald Trump rejected reports of an Iran-Oman deal on Strait of Hormuz shipping.
- The US announced new sanctions against the Persian Gulf Strait Authority.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has stated it will retaliate against any further US attacks with increased force. The IRGC claimed to have attacked a US airbase early Thursday morning, following what it described as a US strike near Bandar Abbas airport. The Guards stated the targeted airbase served as the source of the US aggression.
In parallel, US officials confirmed military action against Iranian drone activities near the Strait of Hormuz, stating that four Iranian attack drones were shot down as they posed a threat to American forces and commercial ships. The US also attacked a drone control station near Bandar Abbas, which officials said was preparing to launch another drone. A US official characterized the operation as limited and defensive, aimed at protecting a ceasefire that began in early April.
Iran has accused the US of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement. Iranian media reported that the IRGC Navy fired warning shots at a US-linked oil tanker attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, causing it to turn back. Iranian naval forces also reportedly warned off four other ships attempting to cross the waterway without authorization.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, has become a focal point of the conflict. Before the current hostilities, the strait handled nearly 20 percent of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas. Current traffic levels through the strait with Iranian permission are significantly below normal.
Adding to the tensions, US President Donald Trump rejected reports of a potential agreement between Iran and Oman to jointly manage commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, warning against any country attempting to control the waterway. The White House later described these reports as false. The US also announced new sanctions against the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, an Iranian organization responsible for managing ship passage requests through the strait.
Negotiations aimed at ending the three-month conflict remain stalled, with significant disagreements persisting over Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief, and control of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, while the US insists Iran must not develop nuclear weapons.