United States and Iran have exchanged fresh military strikes deepening tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and raising further uncertainty over efforts to secure a lasting agreement to end months of hostilities between the two countries.

The latest confrontation marks the third known escalation in just over a week and comes as negotiations aimed at extending a ceasefire and reopening the strategically important waterway continue to face significant obstacles.

According to US military, it carried out what it described as defensive operations against Iranian military infrastructure after accusing Tehran of threatening international shipping and American forces in the region.

US Central Command (Centcom) noted that, the strikes were launched in response to what it called “aggressive Iranian actions,” including the reported downing of a US drone flying over international waters.

American forces stated that, fighter aircraft targeted Iranian radar installations, drone command facilities and unmanned aerial vehicles located near the southern coastal city of Goruk and on Qeshm Island, which sits within the Strait of Hormuz. The military said the facilities posed a direct threat to vessels operating in the area and stressed that no US personnel were injured during the operation.

The attacks were part of a broader effort to protect maritime traffic through one of the world’s most critical shipping corridors, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass.

Iran responded by announcing that it had struck an air base allegedly used by US forces during the attacks on Iranian territory. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) noted that it targeted a communications facility associated with the base, although it did not identify the location.

Iranian officials noted that the strike was intended as a direct response to what they described as American aggression against the country’s southern military sites.

The communications tower reportedly hit was located on Sirri Island in the Gulf, approximately 65 kilometres from Iran’s southern coastline.

Iranian military officials also issued a warning that any future attacks would provoke a much stronger response.

The IRGC said its retaliation would be “completely different” should the United States repeat similar actions, according to comments reported by Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.

Kuwait, a neighbour, reported aerial threats, suggesting that the problem extended beyond Iran and the US.

The Kuwaiti military declared that hostile drones and missiles were being actively intercepted by its air defence systems, although it did not specify where they came from or what their intended objectives were.

Kuwait has grown more aware of regional tensions and is home to a significant American military facility. Following prior US operations that Tehran claimed were intended to stop Iranian ships from planting mines near the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian soldiers attacked a site in Kuwait last week.

Hormuz Tensions Escalate Despite Truce as Nuclear Disputes Stall Negotiations

The renewed violence comes despite a ceasefire that formally took effect on 8 April and which was intended to create space for negotiations on a broader settlement.

Since then, President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed confidence that a permanent agreement is within reach and has insisted that discussions are progressing, even though no final deal has yet been secured.

In a social media post, Trump urged critics to “sit back and relax,” adding that the situation would ultimately be resolved.

The US President also maintained that Tehran remained interested in reaching an agreement with Washington. “Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be a good one for the USA,” he wrote.

However, negotiations appear to have encountered fresh difficulties in recent days.

US media reports indicated that Trump requested modifications to a proposed framework agreement after reviewing it with senior advisers during a White House meeting.

According to reports, the requested changes involve issues surrounding the future operation of the Strait of Hormuz and the handling of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which remains one of the most contentious issues between the two sides.

While the White House has not publicly commented on the reported revisions, Iranian officials have indicated that significant disagreements remain.

Tehran’s Chief Negotiator stated earlier that no agreement would be accepted unless Iran’s rights were fully protected, suggesting that the latest draft remains unacceptable in its current form.

The reported framework under discussion would extend the current ceasefire for an additional 60 days, facilitate the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and establish a pathway for renewed negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Those discussions are viewed as essential to addressing long-standing concerns surrounding uranium enrichment and regional security.

The continued closure and disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has already had significant economic consequences.

The narrow waterway serves as one of the world’s most important energy transit routes, linking oil and gas producers in the Gulf to international markets.

Any prolonged disruption threatens to increase fuel costs globally and place additional strain on economies already facing inflationary pressures.