Agencies | Tehran/Washington:
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for a drone strike targeting the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, describing the attack as retaliation for American military strikes on Iranian territory earlier on Wednesday.
The development marks a significant escalation in tensions between Tehran and Washington, raising fresh concerns over the stability of a fragile ceasefire and broader efforts to ease conflict across the Middle East.
According to the IRGC, US forces carried out strikes on multiple locations in southern Iran, including Jask, Sirik and Qeshm, before Iran launched what it called a retaliatory operation against the US naval presence in Bahrain.
“In response to the enemy’s vicious move, the IRGC naval fighters launched a drone strike on the Bahraini 5th Navy at 2.30 am,” the Guards said in a statement carried by Iranian media.
The force also warned that “heavier responses” could follow if attacks against Iran continue.
US Strikes Follow Downing of Apache Helicopter
The latest confrontation follows US military strikes on Iran on Tuesday after a US Army Apache helicopter was brought down in the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump defended the operation, saying Washington needed to respond forcefully to the incident.
“I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that’s what this one is,” Trump told ABC News, according to Reuters.
Iranian media reported explosions near Qeshm Island, Sirik, Bandar Abbas and Jask following the strikes.
US Central Command described the operation as a “proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression,” Reuters reported. Axios, citing a US official, said several Iranian air defence and radar systems around the Strait of Hormuz were among the targets.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later warned that Tehran would not allow attacks on its territory to go unanswered.
In a post on X, Araghchi said Iran would “leave no attack or threat unanswered,” adding that foreign military forces operating near Iranian territory risked being caught in accidents or crossfire. He suggested the safest course would be for such forces to leave the region.
Iranian state media, meanwhile, quoted military sources as saying no offensive Iranian air operations had taken place in the Strait of Hormuz during the previous 24 hours. The sources also warned of a decisive response if hostilities resumed.
The Apache helicopter incident has injected fresh uncertainty into efforts to secure a broader agreement between Tehran and Washington.
Reuters reported that the helicopter was downed by what a US official described as a one-way Iranian attack drone. Trump later told The Wall Street Journal that the incident “wasn’t a big deal” and noted that the pilot was unharmed.
However, US Central Command said the helicopter’s two crew members were rescued after approximately two hours and were in stable condition.
The incident occurred despite repeated assertions by Trump that the United States and Iran were nearing an agreement. Analysts cited by Reuters warned that the latest exchange of military action could complicate negotiations and further undermine the ceasefire that has been in place since April.
Regional Tensions Remain High
The confrontation between Iran and the United States is unfolding against a backdrop of continuing violence elsewhere in the region.
Israeli strikes on the Lebanese port city of Tyre reportedly killed multiple people, while clashes involving Iran-backed Hezbollah have continued despite ongoing ceasefire efforts.
Tehran has repeatedly argued that any settlement with Washington must include an end to hostilities in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains a major concern for global markets. The strategic waterway is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, and the ongoing conflict has already affected maritime traffic and oil prices.
