United States and Iranian forces exchanged military strikes on Monday in what each country labeled “self-defense” and retaliatory strikes.
U.S. Central Command announced the military launched “self-defense strikes” against Iran over the weekend, strategically targeting drone “radar and command and control sites.” The military said it conducted operations in designated areas in Qeshm Island and Goruk, Iran, in a social media post late Sunday night. Iranian forces claimed it fired “retaliatory” strikes in response, according to the Associated Press. Additionally, Kuwait announced it was engaged in defensive military operations as well, saying the country’s defenses had intercepted drones and missiles believed to be from Iran.
“The measured and deliberate strikes occurred on Saturday and Sunday in response to aggressive Iranian actions that included the shootdown of a U.S. MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters,” said U.S. Central Command in a social media post late Sunday night. “U.S. fighter aircraft swiftly responded by eliminating Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones that posed clear threats to ships transiting regional waters.”
Meanwhile, Iran responded to U.S. airstrikes by announcing it had taken retaliatory action in a post on the cloud-based instant messaging app Telegram. Iran said it had targeted “the air base from which the aggression originated” and warned the U.S. that future strikes would lead to a harsher military response.
“Following the aggression by the U.S. invading army against a communications tower on Sirik Island in Hormozgan Province earlier today, the airspace forces of the IRGC targeted the air base from which the aggression originated, and the intended targets were destroyed,” read a translated message purportedly by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps posted to Telegram. “The IRGC Aerospace Force warned that if the aggression is repeated, the response will be completely different, and the responsibility for it lies with the aggressor and child-killing U.S. regime.”
THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR TEHRAN
The exchange of military strikes followed reports that peace negotiations between Iran and the U.S. were nearing an agreement. The dueling military strikes were the latest exchanges of fire between the two countries amid a weekslong ceasefire.
U.S. Central Command stated Iranian strikes would not deter the U.S. military and that it would continue to do what is necessary to protect “U.S. assets and interests.”
“CENTCOM will continue to protect U.S. assets and interests in response to unwarranted Iranian aggression during the ongoing ceasefire,” said U.S. Central Command.