The US military said it struck Iranian targets in the city of Goruk and the island of Qeshm, while Iran announced it launched a retaliatory strike against a US airbase in the region.
The exchange took place as US President Donald Trump reportedly made changes to a proposed deal to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, insisting that Iran “will not have a nuclear weapon.”
US Strikes
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement it had conducted “self-defense strikes” on Iranian military sites on Saturday and Sunday. The targets included Iranian radar and command and control sites for drones in Goruk and Qeshm Island.
According to the statement, the strikes came “in response to aggressive Iranian actions that included the shootdown of a US MQ-1 drone that was operating over international waters.”
“US fighter aircraft swiftly responded by eliminating Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones that posed clear threats to ships transiting regional waters,” CENTCOM said, adding that no American troops were harmed during the operation.
Iranian Retaliation
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Monday it struck a US airbase from which an attack on Iran‘s Sirik Island was launched, without identifying the location of the base.
“Following the aggression of the US army against a telecommunications tower on Sirik Island, located in Hormozgan Province, the IRGC’s Aerospace Force fighters targeted the air base from which the aggression originated, and the predicted targets were destroyed,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA.
It also warned of a “completely different response” if such actions happen again.
The statement came shortly after Kuwait announced that its air defenses repelled missile and drone attacks, without providing details. Kuwait is home to US Army Central, the Mideast forward command for the Army.
Proposed Deal Edits
Trump has reportedly asked for amendments in the proposed memorandum of understanding (MoU) to end the war with Iran and pave the way for a peace deal.
The edits included significant changes related to the Strait of Hormuz and the removal of highly enriched uranium, CBS News reported, citing a source with knowledge of the negotiations.
The edited proposal was sent back to Iran for approval, pending its response. This marks the third round of edits by Trump, which have been conveyed to Iran through mediators, led by Pakistan. Trump said in an interview taped on Thursday that he was in “no hurry” to make a deal.
Trump Optimism
The US President struck an upbeat tone regarding the agreement, saying that Iran wants to make a deal. “Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be a good one for the U.S.A. and those that are with us,” he posted on Truth Social early Monday.
He also blasted critics of his handling of the war with Iran. “But don’t the Dumocrats, and various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans, understand that it is MUCH tougher for me to properly do my job and negotiate, when political hacks keep negatively “chirping,” at levels never seen before,” he said.
“Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end – It always does!” he added.
In an earlier post, Trump slammed what he called “fake news media,” emphasizing that his deal with Iran focuses on the nuclear issue.
He said that the deal clearly states that “Iran will not have a Nuclear Weapon. It then goes on, in very strong and lengthy detail, to discuss various other aspects of Nuclear. In fact, that’s what most of the agreement is about.”
In his interview with Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, which was aired Saturday, the US President said that Tehran had agreed to abandon its ambitions to pursue a nuclear weapon, noting that the US was close to a deal with Iran.
Trump convened his top national security advisors on Friday to make a “final determination” on the Iran deal, but the meeting concluded without a decision.
Iran’s Position
Iran’s top negotiator and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Sunday that Iran will not approve any agreement with the US until Tehran secures its “rights,” according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
“The soldiers of the diplomatic battlefield have no trust in the words and promises of the enemy. What matters to us is tangible achievements that we must obtain, in exchange for which we will fulfill our commitments,” Qalibaf said.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that talks are still ongoing and public talk of a deal is “merely speculation.”
