TEHRAN: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday it launched missile and drone strikes on 85 targets, including US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, in what it described as retaliation for American violations of a ceasefire.
Earlier today, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it hit 80 military targets in Iran on July 7. The statement read that the operation used precision-guided munitions to strike military infrastructure that it said threatened international shipping through the strategic waterway.
In a statement, the IRGC said its naval and aerospace forces carried out the coordinated operation.
The statement said the strikes targeted the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, along with other military sites.
Iran said the operation responded to what it described as US violations of the ceasefire and the Islamabad Agreement.
Tehran alleged that US forces had earlier carried out airstrikes on coastal and civilian sites in Iran’s Hormozgan province and the city of Mahshahr, prompting the retaliation.
The IRGC described the attack as an initial response and said Iran reserved the right to defend its sovereignty and national security against any further action.
The statement also accused the United States of attempting to undermine the significance of the funeral ceremonies for Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, by launching airstrikes during the event. It said Iran’s armed forces and people would not yield to external pressure.
The United States, Bahrain and Kuwait did not immediately comment on the Iranian claims.
Reuters could not independently verify Iran’s account, including the reported strikes, the extent of any damage or possible casualties.
Analysts said that if confirmed, the attacks would mark a significant escalation in Gulf tensions and deepen the confrontation between Iran and the United States.
