Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced early Wednesday that it had launched attacks targeting US bases in Kuwait in response to US strikes near the Strait of Hormuz and on Qeshm Island in southern Iran. The IRGC stated that an Iranian oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an aerial projectile late Tuesday, damaging the engine section of the vessel. Additionally, the IRGC claimed that US forces targeted a communications tower belonging to the Guard south of Qeshm Island.
IRGC Retaliation
In retaliation, the IRGC's Aerospace Force carried out missile and drone attacks against US military positions in the region, including facilities associated with the US Fifth Fleet. The IRGC warned that any further attack against Iran would elicit a decisive response, adding that forces involved in actions against Iran would face consequences. The statement followed reports from Iran's state broadcaster IRIB of several explosions near the areas of Suza and Masen on Qeshm Island.
Regional Tensions
Regional tensions have escalated since late February, when the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, killing over 3,000 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior military commanders and government officials. A Pakistan-brokered ceasefire took effect on April 8, but efforts to reach a broader agreement have so far failed. The situation remains volatile as both sides continue to assert their positions.
