The US military said it carried out “self-defence strikes” in southern Iran on Monday. The strikes targeted missile launch sites and Iranian boats near the Strait of Hormuz, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).
“US forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” CENTCOM spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said in a statement to Fox News.
Hawkins said the targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats that were allegedly trying to place mines in the important shipping route.
“US Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” he added.
Iranian Boats and Missile Site Destroyed
A senior US official said two boats linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were seen laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. This led to a military response from the US.
US forces also struck a surface-to-air missile (SAM) site in Bandar Abbas after it reportedly targeted American warplanes.
The official said both the Iranian boats and the missile site were destroyed in what he described as “defensive strikes”.
Ceasefire ‘Still in Place’
Two other sources told Fox News that the operation did not mean the ceasefire with Iran had ended. They said the strikes were limited and controlled.
Explosions were reported in several areas near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. Iranian media reported blasts in Bandar Abbas, while more explosions were heard near Sirik and Jask along Iran’s southern coast.
The senior US official later said the strikes were “over for now”.
Trump Calls for Iran’s Uranium to Be Destroyed
The developments came as US President Donald Trump repeated his demand that Iran hand over its enriched uranium to the United States for destruction.
At the same time, Trump pushed for a wider expansion of the Abraham Accords, which could one day include Iran as part of a future regional peace agreement.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump described Iran’s enriched uranium as “nuclear dust” and said it should either be transferred to the US or destroyed under international supervision.
“The Enriched Uranium (Nuclear Dust!) will either be immediately turned over to the United States to be brought home and destroyed or, preferably, in conjunction and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place or, at another acceptable location,” Trump wrote.
First published on: May 26, 2026 06:48 AM IST
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