The United States military said it launched “self-defence” strikes on Iran overnight and shot down ballistic missiles and drones fired at ships and Gulf countries.
Key Highlights:
- The United States Central Command said it carried out “self-defence” strikes on Iran, targeting a military control station on Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran responded by launching missiles and drones toward US-linked bases and regional countries, including Kuwait and Bahrain.
- Kuwait reported drone strikes on its international airport, causing building damage, injuries, and a temporary suspension of air traffic.
- US and allied air defences intercepted several missiles and drones, while Centcom said it also shot down drones targeting civilian shipping.
- The escalation comes amid stalled US–Iran ceasefire negotiations and rising tensions across the Gulf region.
The strikes on Qeshm Island, in the Strait of Hormuz, were “in response to attempted attacks by Iran across the Middle East,” US Central Command (Centcom) said.
Iran said it attacked US bases and helicopters in a “regional country” using missiles and drones in retaliation.
Centcom said Tehran fired two missiles at Kuwait and three at Bahrain, all of which broke apart or were intercepted.
Kuwait’s army later said Iranian drones had hit its international airport, causing “significant” building damage and injuries to some people. Air traffic was suspended on Wednesday morning.
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Ministry of Defence spokesman Brigadier General Saud Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi described the attack as “criminal Iranian aggression”. He said the wounded had received medical care.
The latest attacks is coming amid stalled ceasefire negotiations between the US and Iran, after talks on a deal to end the months-long war failed to advance over the weekend.
Centcom said the strike on Qeshm Island had targeted an Iranian military ground control station, and that the US military also shot down three attack drones that had been launched by Iran toward “civilian mariners that were rightfully transiting regional waters”.
The IRGC said, “disrupting the security of the Strait of Hormuz will carry a heavy price for the aggressive US military.”
Centcom also said Iran had launched “several” ballistic missiles towards countries in the region.
“Two Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait fell short or broke apart en route, and three missiles launched at Bahrain were immediately intercepted by US and Bahrain air defence forces.”
Iran has repeatedly attacked targets in Bahrain and Kuwait, where US military bases are located.
Earlier, Centcom said it had struck and disabled an unladen oil tanker that was sailing towards Iran, as part of Washington’s naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, which began on April 13.
A US aircraft fired a Hellfire missile into the engine room of the Botswana-flagged M/T vessel, after its crew “ignored repeated warnings,” it said.
Centcom also released footage purportedly showing the moment the tanker was hit on Tuesday.
