Iran and the United States exchanged fresh military strikes on Thursday, sharply escalating tensions in the Gulf region after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected reports that Washington was close to an agreement with Tehran over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted a U.S. airbase in response to what it described as an American attack near Bandar Abbas Airport in southern Iran. Iranian state media said the retaliatory strike was launched hours after U.S. forces hit an alleged Iranian drone operation close to the Strait of Hormuz.
A U.S. official confirmed that American forces had carried out strikes targeting a drone command station in Bandar Abbas and shot down four Iranian attack drones that were allegedly preparing for launch. The official described the operation as “measured” and said it was intended to maintain the fragile ceasefire currently in place between the two countries.
The latest confrontation comes amid stalled negotiations over reopening commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important oil routes. Nearly one-fifth of global oil supplies normally pass through the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf to international markets.
Tensions rose further after Iranian state television reported that Tehran and Washington were discussing a draft framework under which Iran and Oman would jointly manage shipping traffic through the strait, while the United States would ease its naval blockade and withdraw forces from nearby waters.
President Trump publicly rejected the reports during a cabinet meeting at the White House, insisting no country would control the strait.
“Nobody’s going to control the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said. “It’s international waters.”
Trump also denied reports that Washington was considering sanctions relief for Tehran and warned that military action remained an option if negotiations failed. White House officials later described the Iranian media reports as a “fabrication.”
Iranian officials responded defiantly. Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran’s parliamentary national security committee, said Tehran would not abandon uranium enrichment or its strategic position in the Gulf because of American threats.
The escalation has placed renewed strain on a ceasefire that began in April following weeks of conflict involving U.S., Israeli, and Iranian forces. Although both Tehran and Washington insist the truce has not collapsed, Thursday’s exchange marked the third direct military confrontation since the ceasefire took effect.
Regional tensions have also spread beyond Iran and the Gulf. Kuwait’s military reported activating air defense systems in response to what it called an “enemy attack,” while Lebanon reported increased military activity linked to the broader conflict.
Global oil markets reacted immediately to the renewed hostilities. Oil prices rebounded after falling earlier in the week on hopes of diplomatic progress, while investors worried about the possibility of prolonged disruption to shipping through Hormuz.
Analysts say the dispute over control and security of the Strait of Hormuz remains the central obstacle to any peace agreement. Iran continues demanding sanctions relief, access to frozen assets, and recognition of its security role in the Gulf, while Washington insists that freedom of navigation must be guaranteed and that Tehran cannot be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
Despite the latest violence, diplomatic contacts are reportedly continuing through mediators including Oman, Pakistan, Egypt, and Turkey, though prospects for a breakthrough remain uncertain.
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