US and Iran Launch New Attacks in the Gulf Region
Image Source, AFP
The US military reported shooting down four Iranian drones launched toward the Strait of Hormuz.
According to their statement, these were “OWA (one-way attack) drones” that posed an immediate threat to maritime transportation in the area.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released a statement saying American forces launched “an attack on Iranian radar sites along the coast near Garuk and Qeshm Island” to prevent further attacks, according to their claim.
As the US military struck Iranian drones and radar locations, Tehran announced that it targeted US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain in response.
According to Iran’s official news agency IRIB, Iran retaliated by firing ballistic missiles at two US airbases in Kuwait and a US naval area in Bahrain.
Debate Over the Attack
CENTCOM reported that an initial assessment indicates seven Iranian missiles were launched at two Gulf countries; six were intercepted and neutralized while one failed to reach its target.
This incident occurred just days after clashes between the US and Iran, raising the risk to the fragile ceasefire between the two troubled nations.
Local authorities stated that one person was killed and over 60 injured in an Iranian drone attack on Kuwait’s international airport on Wednesday.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) denied responsibility for the airport attack, claiming that damage resulted from a malfunction in the US missile defense systems.
However, CENTCOM rejected this claim, accusing Iran of “deliberate, planned, and erroneous attack” on the airport.
The IRGC earlier said their strikes on US military bases in the Gulf were in retaliation for American attacks on Iranian oil tankers and Qeshm Island.
How Long Will the Port Blockade Continue?
Image Source, Getty Images
These attacks took place amid stalled ceasefire negotiations and no progress on a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran.
The conflict in the Middle East escalated after the US and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on February 28.
In response, Iran attacked Israel and US allied countries in the Gulf region.
Iran also imposed a wide-scale closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas supply passes.
This led to a global increase in oil prices.
In early April, after agreeing on a ceasefire, the US imposed a blockade on Iranian ports. President Donald Trump stated that the blockade “will remain fully in effect until a comprehensive agreement is reached, verified, and signed.”