Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it struck a US air base early Thursday after American forces carried out an attack near Bandar Abbas airport, raising pressure on a fragile ceasefire around the Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC said the base used to launch the operation against Iran’s southern port city was targeted at 4.50am local time, or 1.20am GMT. It did not identify the location of the US base or provide evidence of damage. The statement warned that any further attack would draw a “more decisive” response, placing responsibility for wider escalation on Washington.
The claim followed US operations in southern Iran on Wednesday, when American forces shot down four one-way attack drones that they said posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and struck a ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was preparing to launch a fifth drone. No casualties were immediately reported from the US action, which Washington described as defensive and limited in scope.
Kuwait said its air defences were responding to hostile missile and drone activity on Thursday morning, adding to concerns that the confrontation could spill further across Gulf states hosting American military facilities. Ali Al Salem Air Base, a key installation used by US and allied forces, has been among the regional sites watched closely since the conflict widened earlier this year. Tehran has previously warned that bases used for attacks on Iran could become targets.
Bandar Abbas is one of Iran’s most sensitive military and commercial hubs. The city sits near the Strait of Hormuz, the maritime choke point through which a large share of the world’s seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas passes. Any sustained disruption there would carry direct consequences for energy markets, shipping costs and insurance premiums, particularly for Asian economies dependent on Gulf crude.
The latest exchange comes during negotiations aimed at stabilising a conflict that began on February 28, when US and Israeli strikes hit targets in Iran and triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the region. A ceasefire announced in April has reduced the intensity of direct attacks but has not stopped sporadic clashes at sea, air-defence engagements, sanctions pressure and military warnings from both sides.
Washington has argued that its operations are designed to protect US forces, commercial shipping and regional partners. Tehran has framed the US strikes as violations of Iran’s sovereignty and of the ceasefire understanding. That gap in interpretation has become one of the main obstacles to de-escalation, with each side accusing the other of creating the conditions for a broader confrontation.
The Strait of Hormuz has become the centre of the dispute. US officials have insisted that the waterway must remain open to international navigation, while Iran has sought greater leverage over traffic passing near its coastline. The deployment of drones, naval units and surveillance systems around the strait has increased the risk that a limited incident could quickly escalate, particularly if commercial ships are caught between military warnings and countermeasures.
President Donald Trump has said Tehran remains under pressure to reach a deal, while rejecting proposals that would dilute Washington’s ability to protect shipping routes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also backed continued negotiations, though US military actions show that diplomacy is proceeding alongside active force protection measures.
Iran’s leadership faces its own pressures. The IRGC, which controls major missile, drone and naval assets, has a central role in the country’s military posture in the Gulf. Its public claim of striking a US base appears aimed at signalling deterrence to domestic and regional audiences, even as Tehran keeps diplomatic channels open.
Regional governments are balancing calls for restraint with concerns over their exposure to attacks. Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE host or support significant Western military operations, while also maintaining economic links that depend on stable maritime traffic. Even limited drone or missile fire can trigger flight diversions, port security alerts and disruption to logistics corridors.
