Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Wednesday that it carried out a large-scale missile and drone operation against US military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait. The announcement came after Tehran accused the United States of violating a ceasefire and launching new attacks on Iranian territory, further raising tensions across the Middle East.
According to the IRGC, the first phase of the operation targeted 85 US military sites using a combination of missiles and drones. Iranian officials said the strikes focused on Port Salman, the US Fifth Naval Base in Bahrain, and Kuwait’s Ali Salem Air Base. The IRGC also claimed that its forces shot down a US MQ-9 drone that allegedly attempted to interfere with the operation. The claims have not been independently verified.
The IRGC accused Washington of breaching both the ceasefire and the “Islamabad understanding” by launching airstrikes on several coastal facilities and civilian areas along Iran’s southern coastline earlier on Wednesday. Iranian officials said the latest attacks reflected a continued pattern of US violations and warned that Tehran would respond to any future military action.
Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that it had completed a fresh round of military strikes against Iran on July 7. According to the US military, more than 80 targets were hit with precision-guided munitions in response to Iran’s alleged attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The operation was aimed at reducing Iran’s military capabilities in the strategically important waterway.
The US military said the strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems, command and control facilities, coastal radar installations, anti-ship missile systems, and more than 60 IRGC fast attack boats operating near the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM also accused Iran of attacking three commercial ships, including the Marshall Islands-flagged M/T Al Rekayyat, the Saudi Arabia-flagged M/T Wedyan, and the Liberian-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity. It described the alleged attacks as violations of the ceasefire and a threat to international freedom of navigation.
Iran continued to reject the US accusations while insisting that Washington had repeatedly violated previous agreements. Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the United States of committing major violations of the memorandum of understanding. In a statement shared on X, he alleged that the US had violated maritime arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz, threatened further military action, reinstated oil sanctions, attacked southern Iran, and supported continued Israeli military operations in Lebanon. He said Iran would not bow to pressure and remained committed to defending its sovereignty.
The latest exchange of military actions and accusations highlights the growing tensions between Iran and the United States. Both countries continue to blame each other for escalating the conflict, while concerns remain high over the potential impact on regional security, international shipping, and global energy supplies.
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