The US military has carried out defensive airstrikes in southern Iran, targeting missile launch sites and ships near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operations were carried out to defend American forces against imminent threats, including the neutralisation of a surface-to-air missile site in Bandar Abbas and the destruction of two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) boats it said were trying to deploy sea mines. Iranian media outlets in the area reported explosions and casualties close to the southern coast, although CENTCOM noted that the military remains restrained and the targeted operation does not signify an end to the ongoing seven-week ceasefire.
The military flare-up came as high-stakes diplomatic efforts were underway in Qatar, where an Iranian delegation arrived to negotiate a 60-day extension to the truce. President Donald Trump said on social media that talks were otherwise “proceeding nicely,” citing possible progress on the treatment of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile. But Trump stood firm, saying the U.S. needs a “great deal” or else it will go back into active hostilities. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Washington’s commitment to a diplomatic solution to keep the global energy corridor open, but said the U.S. will not waver in defending its troops while negotiations remain an option. Tehran has warned publicly that broad conclusions have been drawn on a range of issues but a comprehensive peace deal is not yet guaranteed imminently.
