Iran claims ‘retaliatory strike’ on US airbase after Bandar Abbas attack

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Thursday (May 28) that it had launched retaliatory strikes on a US airbase at around 4.50 am local time following what it described as “aggression” by the American military near Bandar Abbas Airport.

According to Iranian state media and Tasnim news agency, the IRGC said the targeted US base had been used to launch aerial projectiles against a location on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas airport late Wednesday night (May 27). However, Iran did not specify the location of the US base it claimed to have struck.

The IRGC warned that any repeat of US attacks would trigger a “more decisive” response and held Washington responsible for the consequences of the escalation.

Kuwait on high alert, warning sirens in northern Israel

Kuwait was placed on high alert early Thursday after missiles and drones threatened the Gulf nation hours after fresh US strikes targeted Iranian drones near the Strait of Hormuz.

The Kuwait Armed Forces General Command said the country’s air defence systems successfully intercepted “hostile missile and drone attacks”. Authorities issued a cautionary message urging citizens to follow safety instructions and not panic if explosion sounds were heard, clarifying that they were caused by interception operations.

Also Read: Iran blasts fresh US strikes as sign of ‘bad faith’; ceasefire talks face new strain

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said sirens warning of hostile aircraft infiltration were activated in parts of northern Israel amid heightened regional tensions.

Second US strike this week

The US military on Wednesday (May 27) conducted its second defensive strike this week against Iran after officials said they observed aggressive activity from the Iranian military.

Two US officials told The Associated Press that US military forces shot down four Iranian drones and struck a base that was about to launch a fifth drone after determining they posed a threat to the Strait of Hormuz. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive military operations.

President Donald Trump asserted on Wednesday that Iran is "negotiating on fumes" and insisted that November's midterm elections will not make him rush into a deal to end the nearly three-month-old conflict that has spurred unease across the global economy.

Also Read: US-Iran ceasefire under strain after fresh strikes

Speaking at the start of a Cabinet meeting, Trump expressed confidence that a deal is near. Over the weekend, he even declared that his administration and Tehran had "largely negotiated" a settlement, though the talks are still in flux.

The president is looking for a settlement that will reopen the Strait of Hormuz and provide him with a credible argument that Iran's nuclear capability has been diminished enough to declare victory, winding down a conflict that has been politically unpopular for Republicans. But as things stand, Trump also risks finding that closure to his war of choice comes with an unsatisfactory ending.

‘I don’t care about the midterm elections’: Trump

The emerging deal puts off many critical issues to be resolved later and has already exposed the Republican president to fierce criticism - even from some of his own supporters - that Iran's hardline leaders will emerge from the conflict battered but emboldened. It all comes to a head just as the midterm elections to determine control of Congress come into focus and as Republicans worry that rising costs and fuel prices are darkening the American electorate's mood.

But Trump on Wednesday dismissed the idea that the upcoming elections would shape his Iran strategy.

"They thought they were gonna outwait me. You know, 'We'll outwait him. He's got the midterms,'" Trump said. "I don't care about the midterms."

Also Read: US-Iran interim deal may be hailed, but imponderables loom

Trump acknowledged there is still work to do, but he spoke with a measure of certainty that the two sides would get there.

"They want very much to make a deal," Trump said. "So far, they haven't gotten there. We're not satisfied with it, but we will be - either that or we'll have to just finish the job."

Talks were further complicated after US forces carried out what the Pentagon called "defensive" strikes on missile launch sites and minelaying boats in southern Iran on Monday. The US said it acted with "restraint" in light of the weeks-long ceasefire, while Iran decried the action as a sign of "bad faith and unreliability".

(With agency inputs)