Iran claims attack on US airbase

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced an attack on a US base in retaliation for an earlier airstrike targeting the city of Bandar Abbas.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced today it had targeted a US airbase in retaliation for an earlier US military airstrike on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas airport. According to Iranian media, the targeted location was the Ali Al-Salem military airport in Kuwait, where US and Italian forces are stationed.

Images believed to show Iranian ballistic missiles targeting the Ali Al-Salem airbase in Kuwait. *Video: X/Iran News24*

Kuwait, a US ally in the Gulf, later reported its air defense forces were responding to "enemy missile and drone attacks." US officials have not yet commented on the information.

Ali Al-Salem is a strategically important military facility in Kuwait, located approximately 60 km from the Iraqi border. It hosts the US 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, described by Washington as a "key airlift hub" and a "gateway for deploying combat power for allied and coalition forces." Italian soldiers have been stationed at this base since 2019 to participate in missions against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in Iraq.

Kuwait has faced multiple attacks since the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran intensified in late February. This critical role has made Ali Al-Salem airport one of the most heavily damaged locations during six weeks of conflict. Kuwait has invested 800 million to 1.5 billion USD over the years in the base's defense capabilities.

Iran's Khorramshahr missile leaving its launchpad during a 5/2023 test. *Photo: AP*

Iran's retaliatory announcement followed a US airstrike on Bandar Abbas, a port city near the Strait of Hormuz and home to a strategic Iranian naval base. Air defense systems in Bandar Abbas were briefly activated during the attack.

Reuters quoted an unnamed US official who stated that the US had conducted another airstrike targeting an Iranian military objective, citing a threat to Washington's forces and maritime operations in the region.

Explosions in Iran's port city of Bandar Abbas in the early morning of 28/5. *Video: X/@TPObserver*

The US official added that several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran were also shot down, but did not provide further details.

On 25/5, the US military also announced it had conducted a "self-defense attack" against an Iranian vessel accused of laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

These developments occurred as US and Iranian negotiators were working to finalize a memorandum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and create more time to reach an agreement on the fate of Iran's high-grade enriched uranium stockpiles. US President Donald Trump stated on 27/5 that Iran wants a deal, but their offers remain insufficient.