US forces shot down four Iranian attack drones near the Strait of Hormuz, prompting an apparent retaliatory strike on an American airbase in Kuwait, US officials said. The downing of the drones, described by officials as 'purely defensive', targeted a ground control station in Iran's Bandar Abbas that was preparing to launch a fifth drone.
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that the Revolutionary Guards had retaliated by targeting an American base in Kuwait, which they claimed was the source of the attack. Kuwait's army confirmed that its air defences were intercepting hostile missile and drone threats just before 6am local time.
The tit-for-tat strikes came as Iranian forces also fired at four ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, according to IRIB. The incident occurred around 12.35am local time, but no details on the vessels were provided.
Meanwhile, Israel launched broad strikes in southern Lebanon, declaring a large area a new combat zone. The Israeli military said it had struck 550 targets since the beginning of the week, a significant increase in attacks. Hezbollah reported 'point-blank range' combat with Israeli forces in a strategic town beyond an Israeli-declared 'yellow line'.
US President Donald Trump accused Iran of stalling peace talks to 'outwait' him until the US midterm elections, threatening to 'finish the job' if Tehran does not agree to a deal. He also warned Oman over control of the Strait of Hormuz, stating it would be 'open to everybody' and 'Oman will behave just like everybody else or we'll have to blow them up.'
More than 1.2 million Lebanese have been displaced amid the escalating conflict. Iran has insisted that any ceasefire agreement must cover Lebanon, while Israel continues to deepen its operations against Hezbollah.
