Iran Retaliates After Fresh US Attacks, Denies Initiating Conflicts
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran's strikes on US military bases were a lawful act of self-defence, rejecting claims that Iran had initiated the conflict, as the country launched coordinated retaliatory attacks across the Gulf following fresh American strikes.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the ongoing conflict was "not a military confrontation" but the continuation of what he described as an "unprovoked act of aggression" initiated by the United States and Israel on February 28.
In a statement posted on X, Baqaei said Iran "does not attack" and asserted that its strikes on US military bases and assets stationed in the southern Persian Gulf constituted a legitimate exercise of the country's inherent right to self-defence under international law.
His remarks came after Iran launched one of its largest retaliatory offensives since the conflict erupted in February, targeting American military infrastructure across the Gulf following fresh US strikes on Iranian positions.
IRGC on attack
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reportedly said it carried out coordinated missile and drone attacks on US military assets in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Jordan, claiming to have struck Patriot missile systems, ammunition depots and radar installations.
In a statement, the IRGC said the operation was launched in response to what it described as "continued American aggression" against southern Iran.
Tehran also warned Washington against further military action, saying any repeat of the attacks would invite a stronger response.
US Conducts Fresh Strikes
The Iranian retaliation came hours after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced a fresh round of military operations against Iran.
According to CENTCOM, US forces launched strikes using fighter aircraft, naval vessels, one-way attack drones and unmanned sea drones to degrade Iran's military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said the operation was carried out under directions from US President Donald Trump to hold Iranian forces accountable for attacks threatening commercial shipping and civilian vessels transiting the strategic waterway.
Explosions were also reported in Iran's southern port city of Bandar Abbas, while officials confirmed nearby Qeshm Island also came under attack.
The latest exchange marks another escalation in the conflict, raising concerns over regional security and the safety of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's busiest energy corridors.
