Diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict between Iran and the United States remain ongoing. Nevertheless, direct attacks persist. Yesterday, Thursday, both sides claimed to have carried out retaliatory strikes. Amidst the ensuing tensions, Washington has imposed sanctions on the Iranian authority responsible for managing the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it had launched an attack on a U.S. military base in the region. This action was primarily intended as a retaliation for U.S. strikes in southern Iran. However, the IRGC did not specify which U.S. base in the Middle East had been targeted.
Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti military announced yesterday that the country’s air defense systems were intercepting hostile missiles and drones. However, the origin of these missiles and drones was not disclosed. The Middle Eastern nation of Kuwait hosts U.S. military bases.
In a statement issued yesterday, the U.S. military claimed to have shot down multiple Iranian drones over the Strait of Hormuz. It further stated that a military facility located near the strategically vital Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas had been struck. Washington asserted that this strike was specifically aimed at an operation involving Iranian drones; the Iranians were reportedly preparing to launch drones from that facility.
Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the U.S. strike in the Bandar Abbas area. In the statement, Ministry Spokesperson Ismail Baghai asserted that the United States was violating the ceasefire by conducting such attacks. He further emphasized that Iran reserves the right to take all necessary measures to safeguard its national sovereignty.
This marks the second time in three days that the United States has launched strikes against Iranian targets. These incidents of attack and counter-attack have placed the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran in jeopardy, although the strikes have been characterized as defensive in nature.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) claims that four drones had already been launched from the military facility in Bandar Abbas targeted by U.S. forces. It further stated that the strike was executed just prior to the launch of a fifth drone. According to Iranian media reports, sounds of explosions were also heard in the eastern sector of the city. CENTCOM has claimed that four Iranian drones, which posed a threat in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, have been shot down. They described this operation as “proportionate, entirely defensive, and conducted with the objective of maintaining the ceasefire.”
Conversely, citing the IRGC, Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported that Tehran has launched a retaliatory strike against a U.S. military base in the Middle East, in response to the source of an attack on Bandar Abbas.
New Sanctions
The United States has imposed sanctions on an entity known as the “Persian Gulf Strait Authority.” This Iranian authority is involved in collecting fees from vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz—a trade route of strategic global importance.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of the Treasury warned that any vessel making payments to this Iranian authority could itself face the risk of sanctions. Furthermore, it stated that anyone engaging in business with the Strait of Hormuz Authority would be presumed to be providing support to the IRGC; consequently, they too could be subject to sanctions.
One-fifth of the world’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fuel oil is transported through the Strait of Hormuz. On February 28, when war erupted across the Middle East following a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz came to a halt. This had a severe impact on the global energy market.
On Monday, Ismail Baghai, the spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that Tehran remains committed to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. However, he noted that fees are currently being collected from vessels transiting the waterway in exchange for “maritime navigation services.”
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent characterized this move as “the Iranian military’s latest attempt to extract funds from global maritime trade.” He added that this incident demonstrates Tehran’s growing desperation for revenue.
Calls to Avoid a Return to War
The all-out war that began on February 28 is currently in a state of temporary suspension, held in check by a fragile ceasefire. Three months have now elapsed since the conflict began; the initial month and a half was marked by bloody combat. Subsequently, Washington and Tehran initiated peace talks mediated by Pakistan. Those negotiations in Islamabad concluded without yielding any specific agreement.
Since then, discussions have continued behind the scenes; ultimately, however, no agreement has come to fruition. Nevertheless, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, is scheduled to visit Washington today, Friday. There, he is set to hold a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Amidst these developments, fresh reports of attacks and counter-attacks have emerged from the Middle East. This situation has sparked skepticism in various quarters regarding the future of the ceasefire. Yesterday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova urged both the United States and Iran to continue their dialogue. At the same time, she issued a renewed warning to both parties against reverting to military action.
