Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced Wednesday that they had targeted U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. The strikes followed a wave of U.S. military action against Iran, which was a response to attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated it conducted a joint missile and drone operation against key U.S. military locations, including Bandar Salman, Bahrain’s Fifth Naval District, and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. The IRGC also reported shooting down a U.S. MQ9 drone that it claimed was attempting to interfere in the operation.

Air raid sirens were activated in Bahrain and Kuwait, with Kuwaiti army officials confirming that air defenses were engaged in confronting “hostile” missile and drone attacks. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that more than 60 small boats belonging to the IRGC were among the targets hit, aiming to impose a significant cost on Iran for its actions against shipping, which CENTCOM characterized as violations of a fragile cease-fire agreement.

“The unwarranted aggression by Iranian forces is a clear and dangerous violation of the cease-fire and undermines freedom of navigation,” CENTCOM said in a statement. Iran’s top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, condemned the U.S. strikes as a “blatant act of aggression” and threatened a “crushing response,” warning against U.S. interference in the management of the strait. A top Iranian negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, accused the U.S. of breaching the cease-fire agreement, citing the recent U.S. strikes, renewed oil sanctions, and alleged violations of Iranian adjustments in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as Israeli attacks against Lebanon.

Earlier reports from Iranian media indicated explosions on Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil hub, as well as on Qeshm Island and in the southern port cities of Sirik and Bandar Abbas. CENTCOM did not confirm strikes on Kharg Island. A U.S. official told Reuters that the strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, and drone launch sites. According to an Iranian state TV reporter, several people were injured by shrapnel from an “enemy projectile” that hit a commercial pier in Sirik, though no civilian deaths were reported in Iran. Strikes also reportedly hit fishing piers in Sirik and Bandar Abbas.

These events represent further threats to the cease-fire agreement, which the U.S. and Iran had established the previous month, pausing a conflict initiated by U.S. and Israeli strikes across Iran. In a significant development, Washington on Tuesday revoked a license that had permitted Iran to sell oil on international markets. Oil prices saw an increase of more than 3% following this announcement.

A U.S. official noted that negotiators were continuing to work towards a final agreement. Control of the Strait of Hormuz has provided Tehran with considerable leverage. Analysts suggest Iran uses attacks on ships to underscore this leverage during negotiations for a long-term peace deal with the U.S. Under an interim U.S.-Iran agreement, the U.S. Treasury had issued a general license on June 22 allowing the sale of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products through August 21. The revocation of this license on Tuesday set a deadline of July 17 for Iran to wind down any transactions.

Iran’s foreign ministry denounced the U.S. action as a breach of the framework agreement and stated that Washington would be held responsible for the consequences. The ministry asserted that Iran would take any necessary measures to safeguard its interests and national security. While Iran denied responsibility for the latest ship attacks, Qatar attributed the attacks, including one on the Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker Al Rekayyat, to Iran. A Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker, believed to be the Wedyan, was also damaged off the coast of Oman. Iran’s foreign ministry questioned Qatar’s accusations, while also stating that commercial vessels faced risks using routes not coordinated with Iran. A second U.S. official indicated that initial reports suggested Iran had fired at three commercial vessels.

These escalations occurred in the wake of large gatherings mourning Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed along with family members on the first day of the conflict. The cease-fire was intended to facilitate 60 days of negotiations for a permanent agreement, but indirect talks in Qatar concluded without significant progress. U.S. President Donald Trump had previously threatened to resume military action if Iran did not agree to a deal.