Iran Retaliates Against US as Hormuz Tensions Escalate
Iran has stated it attacked a US military base in retaliation for US strikes near Bandar Abbas, according to a statement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Thursday (28 May) broadcast by state media IRIB.
“Following the US military aggression this morning against a location near Bandar Abbas Airport using aerial projectiles, the US airbase serving as the source of the attack was targeted at 04:50 local time,” the IRGC said, as cited by IRIB.
The IRGC did not disclose the location of the attacked base. However, Kuwait, a US ally, earlier stated it was responding to missile and drone strikes on Thursday (28 May) early morning.
Meanwhile, Iranian forces fired warning shots at four vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz without permission, according to IRIB’s report on Thursday.
“They were warned, but after ignoring the alert, warning shots were fired, forcing them to turn back,” IRIB wrote in a Telegram post.
The shots were fired around 00:35 local time. No further details about the vessels were provided.
Iran accused the US of violating the ceasefire, though the Tehran government signaled openness to negotiations. Washington described the strikes as “defensive” actions, while Iran called them a “major breach” of the fragile ceasefire in place since early April.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump appears to be losing Republican support amid growing criticism of the war and rising petrol and oil prices.
US Claims to Have Shot Down Iranian Drones in Bandar Abbas
Previously, the US military said it had shot down four Iranian drones and attacked a drone control centre in the port city of Bandar Abbas on Wednesday to prevent a fifth drone from being launched.
The operation marked the second day of strikes Washington described as “defensive” actions against Iran this week, amid fragile ceasefire talks in a conflict that has lasted nearly three months.
“This action is measured, purely defensive, and aimed at preserving the ceasefire,” a US official told Reuters. US officials stated the drones were deemed a threat in the Strait of Hormuz vicinity.
Previously, the Pentagon said Monday night’s US strikes targeted Iranian missile launch sites and mine-laying vessels deemed a threat to US forces and shipping lanes.
New US Sanctions on Iran Spark Oil Market Concerns
The US government imposed new sanctions on Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a new body charging transit fees in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the fees indicated Tehran “desperately needs money” following heightened US economic pressure.
US officials also warned that those paying the transit fees could face sanctions for potentially supporting the IRGC.
Amid Washington’s new measures, global oil prices rose on Thursday (28 May) as recent US strikes on Iran intensified tensions during fragile ceasefire efforts to end the conflict.
Brent crude rose nearly 2% to $96.13 (approximately Rp1.7 million) per barrel, while US benchmark WTI increased 1.75% to $90.23 (around Rp1.6 million) per barrel.
Israel Says It Has Attacked Hezbollah Infrastructure in Southern Lebanon
Israel’s military said on Thursday it had begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure around the southern Lebanese city of Tyre after previously urging civilians to leave the area.
“The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] has begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure in the Tyre region,” the military wrote on Telegram.
Before the attack, Israeli military urged residents near targeted buildings to move north of the Zahrani River and warned that remaining in the area “endangers your safety.”
Lebanon’s official news agency reported Israeli strikes hit Tyre and surrounding areas on Thursday morning, damaging a building and sparking a fire.