Washington claims ‘self-defence’ action after Iran downs MQ-1 drone; Tehran denounces ‘aggression’ near strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The United States has carried out airstrikes on Iranian military sites in the southern city of Goruk and on Qeshm Island, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced, describing the operation as a measured response to what it called “aggressive Iranian actions”.
The strikes, which targeted radar systems, drone command centres and air defence facilities, occurred over the weekend following Iran’s downing of a US MQ-1 drone, according to American officials.
Iran's response and disputed claims:
Iranian officials have condemned the US attacks as an act of aggression, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) asserting that its forces acted in defence of national airspace. Tehran maintains the American drone had entered Iranian territorial waters near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global oil shipments.
Local residents on Qeshm Island reported explosions, which Iranian state media initially attributed to the strikes before later describing some blasts as controlled detonations of unexploded ordnance. No immediate casualty figures have been released by either side.
The incident is the latest flare-up in a broader regional conflict that has seen repeated exchanges between US and Iranian forces, amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
US Strikes Iranian Military Sites Near Strait of Hormuz:
Qeshm Island, Iran’s largest island in the Persian Gulf, and the nearby mainland area around Goruk and Bandar Abbas host key military installations overlooking one of the world’s most critical maritime routes. Roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil passes through the strait.
US officials said fighter aircraft eliminated Iranian air defences, a ground control station and two one-way attack drones that posed threats to commercial shipping in regional waters.
Iran has not yet detailed the extent of damage from the US strikes but has vowed a “decisive response” to any violation of its sovereignty.
The developments come as Kuwait reported intercepting missiles and drones aimed at a US airbase on its territory, highlighting the potential for the confrontation to spill beyond Iran’s borders.
Analysts warn that such tit-for-tat actions risk derailing fragile diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating the wider Iran-US and Israel-Iran tensions that have defined much of 2026.