The United States and Iran exchanged military strikes twice in three days near the Strait of Hormuz, as ceasefire negotiations between the two countries struggle to reach a conclusion. Three months into the war, armed clashes have intensified once again, overturning optimism that a ceasefire agreement was imminent and ratcheting tensions back up.
According to Reuters on Wednesday (local time), US Central Command said it carried out a new airstrike targeting southern Iran, shooting down four Iranian drones. It also struck a drone ground control facility in the port city of Bandar Abbas before Iran could launch a fifth drone. Earlier, Iranian media had reported that air defense systems were activated after three explosions were heard near Bandar Abbas, and the US military has since confirmed the attack. The Wall Street Journal reported that "Iran launched four attack drones at US vessels and merchant ships, and the US shot them down using F/A-18, F-16, and F-35 fighter jets," adding that "an F/A-18 then attacked a ground control facility, preventing the launch of a fifth drone."
Concerns are mounting that the clash could destabilize the ceasefire framework, as both sides have repeatedly engaged in military confrontations recently. The US military said on the 25th of this month that it had also struck several targets in southern Iran. US officials explained that the strike targeted Iranian vessels attempting to lay mines and missile launchers. The New York Times assessed that "two attacks within the past three days are threatening the fragile ceasefire and raising tensions."
The US maintains that this latest attack was also defensive in nature. It argues that the drones posed a threat to US troops and commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a response. In a related development, Iran's Tasnim News Agency, citing military sources, reported that a US oil tanker attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz with its radar turned off and turned back after coming under fire from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The US is believed to have launched the airstrike on the Bandar Abbas region in retaliation.
Iran also responded with renewed military retaliation and strong protest. The IRGC stated that it had attacked a US Air Force base. It emphasized that "if such attacks are repeated, we will respond more decisively."
Signs of a missile attack were also detected in Kuwait the same day. Kuwait hosts the Ali Al Salem Air Base, where US forces are stationed, raising the possibility that it may have been an Iranian target.
Ceasefire negotiations between the two sides are also failing to find a breakthrough. The two countries remain divided over Iran's nuclear issue, including how to handle highly enriched uranium (HEU), authority to manage passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and the release of frozen assets. At a White House Cabinet meeting that day, US President Donald Trump said of the ceasefire negotiations that "so far, they have not reached a level we are satisfied with." Asked whether China or Russia could process Iran's highly enriched uranium, Trump expressed opposition, saying, "No. That would make me uncomfortable."
Meanwhile, Iran is gaining momentum through a public opinion campaign, releasing favorable portions of the draft agreement first, much as Trump has done in the past. Iran's state-run broadcaster reported that the two sides are negotiating a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on ending the war, under which the US would withdraw its troops stationed around Iran while Iran would restore the number of vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz to pre-war levels. The White House strongly denied the report, calling it "completely fabricated and false."
While ceasefire negotiations remain at an impasse, Iran's military capabilities are reportedly being restored at a rapid pace. US intelligence authorities currently assess that 30 of Iran's 33 missile bases have been restored to operational status.
