{"id":1001586,"date":"2026-06-03T00:52:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T00:52:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1001586\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T00:52:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T00:52:17","slug":"iran-and-us-both-say-they-launched-retaliatory-missile-strikes-at-each-other","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1001586\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran and US both say they launched retaliatory missile strikes at each other"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">The United States and Iran have launched missile attacks on several targets in the region, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the US military say.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Iran&#8217;s Revolutionary Guards Corps attacked the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain using missiles and drones, Iranian media reported, in response to what the IRGC described as a US attack on a communications tower south of Qeshm Island.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">US Central Command said it conducted self-defence strikes on Qeshm Island &#8220;in response to attempted attacks by Iran&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A satellite image shows the U.S Fifth fleet naval base\" class=\"Image_image__5tFYM ContentImage_image__DQ_cq\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/e7088dbd5c394f4574fbe91b40f63547.jpeg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-component=\"Image\" data-lazy=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"Typography_base__sj2RP FigureCaption_text__zDxQ5 Typography_sizeMobile12__w_FPC Typography_lineHeightMobile20___U7Vr Typography_regular__WeIG6 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx\" data-component=\"Typography\">A satellite image shows the US Fifth fleet naval base in Manama, Bahrain. (Reuters: Planet Labs PBC)<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">&#8220;Iran launched several ballistic missiles toward regional neighbours; however, all failed to hit their intended targets,&#8221; Centcom said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">The statement added all of the missiles shot at Bahrain and Kuwait either &#8220;broke apart en route&#8221; or were shot down by air defence systems.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Kuwaiti air defences were intercepting hostile missile and drone attacks on Tuesday local time, state news agency KUNA reported, quoting the country&#8217;s army, which did not say where the threats originated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">KUNA cited the army&#8217;s General Staff as saying any explosions heard were caused by interceptions and urged the public to follow safety instructions and avoid any debris or unidentified objects.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2026-05-28\/kuwait-reports-missile-attack-us-air-base\/106735230\" data-component=\"FullBleedLink\" class=\"RelatedCard_link__rsgR9 FullBleedLink_root__lTw_U interactive_focusContext__yRhc_ interactive_defaults__AKxUU FullBleedLink_showVisited__g3Xvz\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Iran fires missile at US air base in Kuwait<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Typography_base__sj2RP RelatedCard_synopsis__cFwMW Typography_sizeMobile14__u7TGe Typography_lineHeightMobile20___U7Vr Typography_regular__WeIG6 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx\" data-component=\"Typography\">US President Donald Trump says he is not yet satisfied by negotiations to end the war in Iran, and the US is not discussing easing sanctions, which is one of Tehran&#8217;s key demands.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">The statements came shortly after Iran&#8217;s media reported hearing sounds of explosions in the area of Qeshm Island.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Bahrain&#8217;s interior ministry also said a warning siren had been sounded and urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Gulf countries, including Kuwait, have come under missile and drone attack during the US-Israel war on Iran.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Hostilities have largely eased since a ceasefire came into effect in April, though the truce has been repeatedly tested by further missile and drone attacks, including against or near Gulf countries hosting US forces.<\/p>\n<p>Hellfire missile hits oil tanker<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">The US military fired a Hellfire missile at a tanker heading toward Iran, trying to evade the blockade being imposed by President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">The missile disabled the Botswana-flagged M\/T Lexie after it impacted the engine room as it was attempting to sail toward the Iranian port in Kharg Island, the US military said.<\/p>\n<p>Loading&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">&#8220;The ship&#8217;s crew ignored repeated warnings, failing to comply with directions from U.S. forces multiple times over a 24-hour period,&#8221; Central Command said in a statement.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"EmphasisedText_quote__TE6kn\"><p>&#8220;A US aircraft ultimately disabled the vessel by firing a Hellfire missile into the ship&#8217;s engine room, preventing the tanker from reaching Iran.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">The statement did not mention if the attack caused any casualties aboard the Lexie.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">The US military&#8217;s Central Command posted a video showing the missile strike on the tanker.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">IRGC navy said it targeted a vessel it identified as Panaya with missiles in response to the US attack on an Iranian tanker, Iranian media reported.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">&#8220;Disrupting the security of the Strait of Hormuz will carry a heavy price for the US military,&#8221; local media cited the IRGC as saying.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">In addition to the six ships the US military says it has disabled during the blockade, <a class=\"Link_link__kR0xA Link_link__5eL5m ScreenReaderOnly_srLinkHint__OysWz Link_showVisited__C1Fea Link_showFocus__ALyv2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2026-05-26\/us-military-strikes-iranian-boats-missile-launch-sites\/106721678\" data-component=\"Link\" data-uri=\"coremedia:\/\/article\/106721678\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">a further 122 vessels have been redirected<\/a> since April 13.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2026-05-31\/us-strucks-commercial-ship-trying-to-breach-blockade\/106742250\" data-component=\"FullBleedLink\" class=\"RelatedCard_link__rsgR9 FullBleedLink_root__lTw_U interactive_focusContext__yRhc_ interactive_defaults__AKxUU FullBleedLink_showVisited__g3Xvz\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">US strikes commercial ship<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Typography_base__sj2RP RelatedCard_synopsis__cFwMW Typography_sizeMobile14__u7TGe Typography_lineHeightMobile20___U7Vr Typography_regular__WeIG6 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx\" data-component=\"Typography\">The US military fires a missile into the engine room of the merchant vessel trying to break through its blockade of Iranian ports, the Central Command says.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">On Friday last week, the US military similarly disabled a <a class=\"Link_link__kR0xA Link_link__5eL5m ScreenReaderOnly_srLinkHint__OysWz Link_showVisited__C1Fea Link_showFocus__ALyv2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2026-05-31\/us-strucks-commercial-ship-trying-to-breach-blockade\/106742250\" data-component=\"Link\" data-uri=\"coremedia:\/\/article\/106742250\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Gambia-flagged cargo vessel<\/a> after it too failed to comply, CENTCOM said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">On May 8, US forces fired munitions down the smokestacks of two Iranian-flagged tankers to halt them, while a warplane disabled another Iranian-flagged ship on May 6 by firing its 20mm cannon at the vessel&#8217;s rudder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">And on April 19, <a class=\"Link_link__kR0xA Link_link__5eL5m ScreenReaderOnly_srLinkHint__OysWz Link_showVisited__C1Fea Link_showFocus__ALyv2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.abc.net.au\/news\/2026-04-20\/us-navy-fires-on-iranian-cargo-ship-iran-says-piracy\/106582690\" data-component=\"Link\" data-uri=\"coremedia:\/\/article\/106582690\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">an Iranian-flagged vessel attempted to violate the blockade<\/a> and ignored multiple warnings from a US destroyer, CENTCOM said at the time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">The American warship eventually directed the ship&#8217;s crew to evacuate its engine room, which it then hit with multiple rounds from its five-inch gun.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\">Tehran&#8217;s forces effectively closed the vital Strait of Hormuz waterway, a key route for oil and gas shipments, after the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran on February 28.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph_paragraph___QITb\"><strong>ABC\/Reuters<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The United States and Iran have launched missile attacks on several targets in the region, the Iranian Revolutionary&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1001587,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5311],"tags":[11413,142888,5435,774,6856,839,7466,12166,2661,155426,277917,49,978,277916,130768,659],"class_list":["post-1001586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-states","tag-attack","tag-blockade","tag-gas","tag-iran","tag-kuwait","tag-middle-east","tag-missile","tag-missile-strike","tag-oil","tag-oil-tanker","tag-qeshm-island","tag-united-states","tag-us","tag-us-fifth-fleet-base","tag-us-military","tag-usa"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1001586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1001586"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1001586\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1001587"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1001586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1001586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1001586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}