Iran targeted US airbase in retaliation for strikes near Bandar Abbas

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Thursday that they targeted a US airbase in retaliation for American strikes near Bandar Abbas airport earlier in the day, marking a fresh escalation in tensions despite a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran last month.According to statements carried by Iranian media, the IRGC said the “U.S. air base identified as the source of the attack was targeted” at 4:50 a.m. local time. However, the Guards did not specify the location of the base.The IRGC warned that any further US “aggression” would invite a “more decisive” response and said Washington would bear responsibility for the consequences.

#BREAKING The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday it targeted a US air base in response to what it described as a “hostile attack” by the US military on a site near Bandar Abbas airport earlier, according to a statement by its public relations office… pic.twitter.com/wURCeKoNla

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) May 28, 2026

According to information,the latest exchange began on Wednesday when the US military shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones and struck a ground control station near Bandar Abbas, which American officials said posed a direct threat to US forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.A US official said the strikes were limited defensive actions and not a return to broader combat operations. According to the official, a fifth drone was preparing for launch from the targeted control station.Iranian media reported that several American ships had attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without authorization, adding to tensions around the strategically vital waterway.There was no immediate confirmation from Washington regarding an Iranian strike on a US military base. However, Kuwait’s military said its air defence systems intercepted “hostile missile and drone threats,” raising speculation that the attacks may have involved US-linked facilities in the region.Kuwait hosts American military installations that have previously been targeted by Iran-backed groups during the ongoing conflict.
The renewed confrontation has cast fresh uncertainty over diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict and restoring stability in the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply passes.US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signalled that a deal with Iran was still distant.“The strait is going to be open to everybody,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting, adding, “Nobody is going to control it.”He also dismissed suggestions that domestic political pressures would affect negotiations with Tehran.“They thought they were going to outwait me — ‘We’ll outwait him, he’s got the midterms,’ — I don’t care about the midterms,” Trump said.“They want very much to make a deal. So far, they haven’t gotten there. We’re not satisfied with it, but we will be — either that or we’ll have to just finish the job,” he added.

President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would be open to all under any deal with Iran and would not be controlled by any country, while ruling out sanctions relief or financial concessions to Tehran.

Speaking at a White House Cabinet meeting, Trump said Hormuz was… pic.twitter.com/sTUZkVB77r

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) May 27, 2026

Meanwhile, the Trump administration announced fresh sanctions on Iran’s newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority, which Tehran recently proposed to regulate and charge transit tolls for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.”Iran, on the other hand, reiterated its demand for the release of frozen Iranian assets as part of any future agreement with Washington.“We are seeking the release of all Iranian assets frozen by America and this is the legitimate right of the Iranian people,” Ali Bagheri, deputy head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said according to Tasnim news agency.“Iran’s assets must be fully returned to Iran without any conditions,” he added.The latest flare-up also impacted global markets, with oil prices rising around 3 per cent amid fears of further disruption to shipping and energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.