Washington launches self-defence strikes against Iranian air defence systems over the weekend, prompting swift retaliation from Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards and raising fears of a wider confrontation in one of the world’s most strategic waterways.
Pentagon confirms raids on radar and drone hubs
Tensions remain high around the Strait of Hormuz amid continued hostilities between the United States and Iran. Over the weekend, the US military command confirmed fresh strikes against air defence systems on Iranian territory and on Qeshm Island, strategically located in the strait.
“Over the weekend, US Central Command conducted self-defence strikes against Iranian radars and drone command posts in Goruk, Iran, and on Qeshm Island,” the command said in a post on social media platform X.
According to CENTCOM, the operation was carried out in response to the downing of an American MQ-1 drone. US fighter jets also disabled an Iranian air defence system, a ground control station, and two attack drones, which Washington says posed a direct threat to regional shipping.
IRGC vows retaliation, claims destruction of US airbase
On Monday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it had struck back, targeting the airbase from which, it claimed, the US launched its assault on a telecommunications tower in southern Iran.
In a statement released on Monday, the IRGC said its Aerospace Force had destroyed the base used by what it called “American aggressor forces.” The strike, the IRGC said, was retaliation for an earlier US attack on a telecom tower on Sirik Island in the southern Hormozgan province.
“Hours after the aggression by American forces against a communications tower on Sirik Island, the fighters of the IRGC’s Aerospace Force struck the airbase from which the attack was launched, and predetermined targets were destroyed,” the statement read.
Tehran issues stark warning: “Any future aggression will be met with harsher response”
The IRGC’s Aerospace Force also issued a sharp warning against any further military action, underscoring that any future attack would result in an even more severe retaliation.
“The IRGC’s Aerospace Force warns that in the event of a repeat of aggression, the response will be entirely different, and the consequences will be borne by the aggressor and the child-killing American regime,” the statement said.
The exchange of fire has intensified concerns over a broader military escalation in the Gulf region, where the Strait of Hormuz serves as a vital artery for global oil shipments.
