Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed a fresh round of attacks on US-linked military and strategic targets across the Gulf, while declaring that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until what it called the “end of America’s evils”.

The announcement came as Tehran outlined the fourth phase of its “Nasr 2” operation and the eighth phase of its “Saeqeh” campaign, presenting the strikes as part of its response to recent US military action and the renewed naval blockade on Iranian ports.

In a statement, the IRGC said the US military had struck Iranian positions “under the pretext of hitting offending ships”, referring to vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, “to hide its defeat and inability”.

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However, the force added that “no ship dared to violate (the Iranian blockade) or accompany the US”. Therefore, “naturally there were no hits,” the statement noted.

Iran claims attacks on US facilities

The IRGC said it had targeted what it described as the US military’s main logistics and support hub in Mina Abdullah, Kuwait, during the latest phase of its operation. It also claimed to have struck the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, along with fuel and equipment facilities.

Iran further said it carried out drone attacks against F-18 fighter jet positions and equipment hangars at Jordan’s al-Azraq Air Base. According to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, this was the second such strike on the base.

Tehran also claimed to have targeted Mina Abdullah refinery in Kuwait, though no independent confirmation of the attack was immediately available.

Gulf countries respond

As Iran announced the strikes, Kuwait’s defence ministry said the country was responding to Iranian drone attacks. It stated that loud explosions heard across the country were the result of air defence systems intercepting incoming threats.

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IRGC drone impact in US base in Kuwait | Screengrab/X/@Safarnejad_IR

The latest claims came after Iran launched retaliatory strikes following another round of US military attacks and the reimposition of a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Trump drops Hormuz transit fee plan

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has abandoned his proposal to impose a 20 per cent transit fee on commercial vessels using the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, he said the anticipated revenue would come through investment commitments from Gulf nations.

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Separately, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) advised airlines to avoid flying through the airspace of Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf of Oman as tensions across the region continue to rise.

FAQs:

Why does Iran say the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed?

The IRGC says the waterway will remain shut until what it called the “end of America’s evils”.

Which locations did Iran claim to target in its latest operation?

Iran claimed strikes on US-linked facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, though independent verification was not immediately available.