US launches ‘self-defense strikes’ on Iranian missile launch sites, boats near Strait of Hormuz amid ceasefire talks

The US military carried out ‘self-defense strikes’ targeting Iranian missile launch sites and boats near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday (May 25), even as a ceasefire between the two countries remained in place and diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continued. “U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” CENTCOM spokesman Timothy Hawkins told CNN in a statement after explosions were reported around the Strait of Hormuz. “Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines. US Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” he added.

According to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), three explosions were heard in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas early on Tuesday local time. The group cited sources but did not immediately confirm the reason behind the blasts. In another statement issued later, the IRGC said an explosion was also heard near Bandar Abbas airport. It added that Iran’s air defense system in Bandar Abbas has been activated to counter hostile targets.

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Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that “the sound of several consecutive explosions was heard around midnight … in Bandar Abbas city, the cause of which has not yet been announced by official sources.” Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, citing eyewitnesses, reported similar sounds in parts of the Persian Gulf near Sirik and Jask. Earlier, Iranian armed forces claimed they had destroyed a hostile drone in the Persian Gulf region, according to local reports. Bandar Abbas, located in southern Iran, hosts a major Iranian naval and air base and sits along the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

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