US Claims It Successfully Repelled Iranian Missile, Drone Assaults in Gulf

The US military said on Tuesday that it had successfully repelled a series of Iranian missile and drone attacks across the Gulf and carried out what it described as self-defence strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) also dismissed claims by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards that they had targeted the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and another American air base in the region.

“Iran launched several ballistic missiles toward regional neighbours; however, all failed to hit their intended targets,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

According to the US military, two missiles fired toward Kuwait either fell short or broke apart before reaching their targets, while three missiles launched at Bahrain were intercepted by US and Bahraini air defence systems.

Kuwait’s military separately reported that its air defence units were responding to what it described as “hostile” missile and drone attacks.

CENTCOM said US forces also shot down three Iranian attack drones that were heading toward civilian vessels navigating regional waters.

Qeshm Island, situated in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, lies along a vital shipping route for Gulf oil and gas exports. The waterway has effectively been closed by Tehran since the outbreak of conflict involving the United States and Israel in late February.

The US military said its strikes targeted an Iranian military ground control station on the island and confirmed that no American personnel were injured in the operation.

In a statement carried by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, the Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for attacks on US military facilities, describing them as retaliation for the strike on Qeshm Island.

CENTCOM rejected the claim in a post on X, stating: “FALSE. All Iranian attacks on American forces failed.”

Although a ceasefire between the United States and Iran has been in place since April 8, efforts to negotiate a more durable settlement have yet to yield results.

On Monday, Tehran warned that Israel’s expanding military operations in Lebanon could jeopardise the US-Iran ceasefire.

Separately, US forces recently intercepted a vessel attempting to reach an Iranian port in violation of an American blockade, disabling the ship. Washington says it has now stopped six vessels accused of breaching the blockade imposed on April 13.