Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday claimed it had destroyed eight US military infrastructures in Kuwait and Bahrain in a joint missile and drone operation, describing the strikes as retaliation for a second wave of US military attacks on Iranian targets.
In a statement carried by Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the IRGC's Public Relations department said its naval and aerospace forces launched ballistic missiles and drones between 2:00 am and 3:00 am local time, targeting the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters at Port Salman in Bahrain.
The IRGC said the operation was a "decisive response" to what it described as recent US aggression.
"Your zealous sons in the IRGC's naval and air forces, during a joint missile and drone operation at 2-3 am today, Sunday, July 27, destroyed eight important infrastructures of the child-killing US army at the Ali al-Salem base in Kuwait and the Fifth Naval Fleet in Port Salman, Bahrain, by launching ballistic missiles and drones at them and decisively responded to the recent US aggression," the statement said.
The IRGC further stated that US forces had attacked five Iranian coastal positions earlier on Sunday, accusing Washington of violating a ceasefire agreement as per the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two sides to end the hostilities in West Asia. It also warned that any future attacks on Iran, regardless of scale, would be met with a "crushing response".
The IRGC further stated that the arrangements under the MoU give Iran the authority for traffic control in the Strait of Hormuz and warned that vessels violating the agreement would face stronger action.
"According to the memorandum of understanding, Islamabad has arrangements to control traffic in the Strait of Hormuz with the Islamic Republic, and from now on, violating ships will be dealt with more forcefully than in the past, and any potential enemy aggression, under any pretext, even if the aggressions are against minor targets, as happened last night and tonight, will have a crushing response," the statement added, as quoted by IRIB.
The latest escalation follows after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that American forces carried out additional strikes against multiple military targets in Iran on June 27, under the direction of the Commander in Chief, US President Donald Trump.
According to a statement issued by CENTCOM, the operation came after Iran allegedly failed to uphold the ceasefire and launched a one-way drone attack that struck the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Kiku near the Strait of Hormuz. The US said the vessel was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil.
"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted additional strikes against multiple targets in Iran, June 27, at the Commander in Chief's direction," the statement read.
"After yesterday's U.S. strikes in response to the Iranian attack on M/V Ever Lovely, Iran was given a chance to honor the ceasefire agreement but elected not to when its forces launched a one-way attack drone that hit M/T Kiku this morning at 4:30 a.m. ET. The Panama-flagged tanker was transiting near the Strait of Hormuz with more than two-million barrels of crude oil," it added.
CENTCOM said US aircraft targeted Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defence sites, drone storage facilities and mine-laying capabilities, describing the strikes as a direct response to continued Iranian attacks on commercial shipping.
It added that commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was continuing and that US forces remained prepared for further contingencies.
Following the reported Iranian missile and drone attack, the Kuwait Army General Staff Headquarters said in a post on X that Kuwaiti air defence systems were intercepting "hostile missile and drone attacks".
It advised residents that any explosion sounds were the result of air defence interceptions and urged the public to follow official safety instructions.
Meanwhile, Bahrain's Ministry of Interior announced on X that warning sirens had been activated and called on citizens and residents to remain calm, move to the nearest safe location, and follow updates issued through official channels.
This is the second consecutive strike by the US in two days on Iranian targets following the Islamic Republic's alleged attacks on vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to a statement issued by CENTCOM on Saturday, US forces carried out the strikes on June 26 in response to an attack a day earlier on the Singapore-flagged cargo ship M/V Ever Lovely, which was hit by a one-way attack drone launched by Iranian forces while exiting the Strait of Hormuz along the Omani coast.
"U.S. aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations and coastal radar sites after Iran hit M/V Ever Lovely on June 25 with a one-way attack drone," CENTCOM said in its earlier statement.
Source: ANI
--Agencies
