The United States said on Monday it had bombed radar and drone sites in Iran after Tehran shot down a US drone over the weekend. Iran then said it had launched its own strike, and Kuwait reported incoming fire.
The end of the conflict between Iran and the US has been repeatedly tested by attacks back and forth, even as officials from both countries try to negotiate an end to the war. It is not clear how close they are to a deal – and there is always the risk that the attack could derail those talks.
In the meantime, Iran is holding on to the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting the world's energy supply and raising the price of fuel worldwide, with far-reaching consequences.
Fighting has also intensified between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, despite their ceasefire. Israel has extended its presence deeper into Lebanon, and Hezbollah – which joined the war in support of its main ally, Iran – continues to plant drones in Israel.
American troops attack Iran
The US military's Central Command said it carried out strikes in Iran on Saturday and Sunday in the city of Geruk and Qeshm Island.
“The calculated and deliberate strikes took place … as a result of Iranian aggression including the shooting down of a US MQ-1 drone that was operating in international waters,” the Central Command said.
“US warplanes responded quickly by eliminating Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack aircraft that posed clear threats to ships passing through regional waters.”
Kuwait said its air defenses opened fire early Monday to counter drone and missile attacks.
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At the same time, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it responded to the American attack without saying where, possibly referring to the attack on Kuwait. In a statement issued by the state-run news agency IRNA, the security guard said the US military was targeting the communications tower.
Kuwait is home to US Army Central, the Mideast forward command for the Army. Although the US Air Force no longer flies the MQ-1 Predator, the US Army still does.
Iran's state television later shared images of the launch of the ballistic missiles, including a close-up photo showing a sticker on its body depicting the wounded United States President Donald Trump covered in “closed” Strait of Hormuz with the caption: “Until the last American soldier leaves the region.”
The attack represents the latest escalation between the US and Iran. Over the weekend, the US fired a missile into the engine room of a Gambian-flagged cargo ship trying to break its blockade of Iranian ports.
A succession of ships have gone offshore, where a fifth of all oil and natural gas once traded has passed, but pressure continues on the world's energy supplies, as well as chemical fertilizers. That has led to fears of food shortages. The Gulf region produces 30 percent of the chemical fertilizers sold worldwide.
Trump met with advisers on Friday but has yet to decide whether to proceed with a deal to extend the ceasefire and reopen the strait. Iran has said the deal had not been finalized.
The US and Israel started the war with strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Trump has offered flexible terms for the conflict, although preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon is among them. Iran has insisted that its nuclear program is peaceful, even though it has enough highly enriched uranium to build multiple nuclear weapons, if it chooses to do so.
US Vice President JD Vance suggested last week that the talks are trying to reach common goals on Iran's nuclear program, the details of which will be mentioned in the next talks.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei on Monday also accused the US of “constantly” changing its positions.
“From the beginning, we knew – and we continue to know – that we are negotiating in an environment of distrust,” Baghaei told reporters.
Trump expressed confidence in the talks during his Truth in Public forum post earlier Monday in Washington.
“Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be good for the USA and our allies,” he wrote. Just sit back and relax, everything will be fine in the end – It always is!
