Middle East Crisis Iran War

American Source: Nighttime Fighting Not an Escalation

The nighttime attacks between the US and Iran should not be seen as an escalation of the war or an end to the ongoing ceasefire. This is stated by an unnamed American official for NBC News.

During the morning, both Iran and the US have accused each other of attacks. Iranian forces are said to have fired on four ships in the Strait of Hormuz, to which the American military is said to have responded by bombing an air base. According to the source, however, the attacks are limited and are seen by the American side as self-defense, since Iranian forces were considered to pose a threat to both the American military and commercial shipping in the strait. The source also states that neither civilian nor military targets were harmed in the Iranian attacks.

The fighting is taking place at the same time as Washington and Tehran are trying to negotiate a framework to end the war. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump dismissed reports that the US had “promised” Iran to withdraw and lift the blockade in the strait.

US sources claim self-defense after new attacks

On Thursday night, Iran and the US attacked each other militarily around the Strait of Hormuz. Two unnamed sources told the AP that US forces shot down at least four Iranian drones that posed a danger to their forces and shipping in the strait.

The US Central Command is said to have then responded by bombing an Iranian military base, where a fifth drone was reportedly about to be launched from.

There are reports from the Iranian side that they have fired at four ships that tried to pass through the strait.

“They were warned, but after they ignored the warning, warning shots were fired at them, forcing them to turn back,” reports the state-run Iranian news agency Irib.

Kuwait also said it had responded to rocket and drone attacks overnight.

Revolutionary Guard: Strikes US base

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, IRGC, has launched an attack on a US military base in response to the US attack overnight. This is reported by the Iranian state TV channel Irib, according to AFP.

The IRGC did not say which US base was attacked, but several Iranian missiles and drones were fired into Kuwaiti airspace this morning.

“The enemy knows that aggression will not go unanswered,” reads a statement from the IRGC. They also write that the attack is a response to “this morning’s aggression,” where the US bombed an Iranian air base in the Strait of Hormuz.

Two American sources told the AP earlier this morning that the US military had shot down at least four Iranian drones.