The U.S. military said it carried out defensive strikes in southern Iran after Iranian forces allegedly threatened American troops. According to CENTCOM, the operation targeted missile launch sites and boats that were reportedly attempting to place mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. officials said the strikes were conducted in self defense to remove immediate threats. They stressed that American forces remain focused on protecting personnel while showing restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.
A U.S. official told media outlets that Iran had attempted several actions against American forces over the past 24 hours, including the reported launch of missiles toward U.S. fighter jets. Despite the strikes, Washington said the ceasefire remains in effect and described the action as defensive rather than an escalation.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of violating the ceasefire in the Hormozgan region and warned that Tehran would respond. Iranian officials said the country would not hesitate to defend itself against any aggression.
The IRGC claimed its air defense units engaged U.S. military aircraft that entered Iranian airspace over the Persian Gulf. According to Iranian state affiliated media, an MQ-9 drone was shot down, while an RQ-4 drone and an F-35 fighter jet were fired upon and forced to leave the area.
The IRGC said the aircraft had been monitored through intelligence operations and described the U.S. presence as a violation of Iran’s sovereignty. It also warned that any future ceasefire violations by U.S. forces would face a firm response.
Meanwhile, Iranian sources rejected a report by Al Arabiya that claimed Tehran and Washington had drafted a 14 point memorandum covering the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, nuclear talks, and the release of frozen Iranian funds. Officials told Iran’s state run IRIB news agency that no such agreement exists and dismissed the report as false and baseless.
