The US military has claimed it successfully neutralised a series of Iranian missile and drone attacks in the Gulf, while conducting self-defence strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, US Central Command (Centcom) said on Tuesday.
Centcom denied claims by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards that they had hit the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain or a regional airbase. “Iran launched several ballistic missiles toward regional neighbours; however, all failed to hit their intended targets,” the command said.
Two missiles fired at Kuwait reportedly fell short or disintegrated in flight, while three missiles targeting Bahrain were intercepted by US and Bahraini air defence systems. Kuwait’s military confirmed its forces were responding to “hostile” missile and drone attacks, reports AFP/BSS.
The US military also shot down three Iranian drones “launched toward civilian mariners transiting regional waters,” Centcom added.
The US strikes on Qeshm Island, situated in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, targeted an Iranian military ground control station. Centcom confirmed that no US personnel were injured during the operation. In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed attacks on US installations, but Centcom labelled the claim as “FALSE,” insisting that all Iranian strikes failed.
A ceasefire between the US and Iran has been in place since April 8, though negotiations for a permanent resolution have yet to succeed. Tehran warned on Monday that Israel’s intensifying operations in Lebanon could jeopardise the ceasefire.
Earlier, US forces disabled a vessel attempting to breach an American blockade by sailing toward an Iranian port. In total, Washington has stopped six ships since April 13 that allegedly sought to violate the blockade.
