US Strikes Iranian Radar Sites as Kuwait Faces Missile-Drone Attack

The United States (US) claimed to have struck several Iranian military sites over the weekend, while Tehran said it retaliated by targeting a US base. This marks the third major escalation in a week around the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command (CENTCOM) described the strikes as a ‘defensive action’ in response to ‘Iranian aggression’, which it said included the downing of a US drone over international waters. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated it targeted an airbase used by US forces to launch attacks on southern Iran, without specifying the exact location. Meanwhile, Kuwait, which hosts US military bases, said its air defence systems ‘faced hostile missile and drone attacks’, without providing further details. Donald Trump urged his critics to ‘relax and stay calm’ in a Truth Social post on Monday morning, adding that everything would ‘end well in the end’. He also stated that Iran ‘wants to reach an agreement very much, and it will be a good deal for the US’. The latest attacks form part of a tit-for-tat exchange between the two sides, following failed negotiations to end months-long hostilities over the weekend. US media reported that President Trump requested changes to the agreement terms. The proposed changes relate to shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz and the removal of highly enriched uranium, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Iran’s chief negotiator said on Sunday that Tehran would not agree to any deal unless Iran’s rights were fully guaranteed. The US military stated that on Saturday and Sunday it launched ‘defensive strikes against Iranian radar and drone command and control facilities’ in the city of Goruk, near Iran’s southern coast, and on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on X, CENTCOM said US fighter jets attacked Iran’s military air defence systems, a ground control station, and two drones described as ‘posing a real threat to ships navigating the region’. No US personnel were injured in the strikes, according to the military. The IRGC said it targeted a US airbase used to attack communication towers on Sirri Island in the Gulf, approximately 65km from Iran’s southern coastline. Iran’s military also stated its response would be ‘completely different’ if US ‘aggression’ recurs, according to an IRGC statement reported by semi-official Iranian news agency Fars. Kuwait’s military said on Monday it ‘faced hostile missile and drone attacks’, without detailing interception locations. State news agency KUNA reported air raid sirens sounding across the country. Tehran previously targeted a Kuwaiti airbase last week in response to earlier US airstrikes, which Washington said were conducted to prevent Iranian vessels and missile attacks from laying mines in shipping lanes. Despite a ceasefire taking effect on 8 April, Trump repeatedly claimed the US and Iran were close to a permanent deal and that negotiations were making progress, though no formal agreement has yet been reached. Trump and senior advisers met on Friday to make ‘final decisions’ on extending the ceasefire framework. However, the meeting ended without clarity on next steps, before reports emerged that the president had requested changes to the draft agreement. New conditions include a 60-day cessation of hostilities, calls to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and a framework to resume nuclear talks, CBS News reported. Around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments typically pass through the Gulf’s shipping lanes, with the current de facto trade embargo driving up fuel prices worldwide.