Reports emerged Thursday of US retaliatory strikes against Iranian military facilities in the Strait of Hormuz region, following alleged Iranian attacks on US Navy destroyers.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that US forces conducted “self-defense strikes” on Iranian military facilities, including missile and drone launch sites, command and control locations, and intelligence nodes. This action was in response to what CENTCOM described as “unprovoked Iranian attacks” involving multiple missiles, drones, and small boats targeting the USS Truxtun, USS Rafael Peralta, and USS Mason as they transited the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM stated that no US assets were struck, and inbound threats were eliminated.
Former US President Donald Trump commented on the incident, asserting that “great damage” was inflicted upon the Iranian attackers, which he claimed were “completely destroyed.” He emphasized the US stance that “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
Conversely, Iranian media outlets presented a different narrative. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported that three American Navy destroyers were targeted by Iranian naval forces in the Strait, using “missiles and suicide drones.” Iran’s military headquarters claimed that Iranian forces “immediately retaliated” to US operations – which they alleged were carried out “in cooperation with countries in the region” – and “caused significant damage” to US military vessels east of the Strait. Mehr News Agency also reported that Iranian defenses shot down “two hostile drones” over Bandar Abbas and Qeshm.
Iranian reports also suggested that explosions heard near Bandar Abbas and the Strait of Hormuz might have been caused by hostile action from the UAE, a claim Tasnim emphasized was unconfirmed but warned of consequences if true. These alleged incidents followed a US military action where an F-18 fighter jet reportedly disabled an Iranian-flagged oil tanker by hitting its rudder.
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