US says it struck Iranian military sites, Tehran responds with air base attack

The US struck Iranian military sites on Iran's Gulf coast over the weekend. Iran's Revolutionary Guard hit back, targeting a US air base as ceasefire talks continue.

The US said it struck Iranian military sites over the weekend, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Monday it had targeted a US base in response. The exchange is the latest in a series of strikes between the two countries amid negotiations to end the three-month-old war.

What did the US strike in Iran and why?

The US struck Iranian military sites on the country's Gulf coast in response to what it called aggressive Iranian actions, including the shootdown of a US MQ-1 drone over international waters. US Central Command announced the strikes on X.

Fighter aircraft destroyed Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two one-way attack drones that posed threats to ships in the region.

How did Iran respond to the US strikes?

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Monday it had targeted an air base used by the US for its attack on southern Iran, without naming the base.

Air defenses in Kuwait, home to a major US military base, were intercepting missile and drone attacks as sirens sounded across the country, state news agency KUNA reported. KUNA provided no further details on the scale of the attack.

CENTCOM said it would continue to protect US assets and interests during the ongoing ceasefire.

What is the broader context of the US-Iran exchanges?

The US and Iran have sporadically traded strikes since their ceasefire took effect in early April, as negotiations toward a more durable agreement have dragged on.

A similar exchange occurred the previous Thursday and was described in comparable terms by both sides. The war, launched by the US and Israel on February 28, has killed thousands of people, mainly in Iran and Lebanon.

The conflict has caused significant global economic pain by pushing up energy prices, largely due to Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

What are the key sticking points in US-Iran negotiations?

US President Donald Trump has said his primary aim is to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon using its highly enriched uranium. Tehran has consistently denied any such plans.

Trump faces pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lower US gasoline prices ahead of the November congressional elections, while also managing resistance from Iran hawks within his own party over any concessions to Tehran.

The two sides remain divided on several issues, including Tehran's demands for sanctions relief and the release of tens of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian oil revenues held in foreign banks.

How does the Lebanon conflict factor into the negotiations?

Israel's war in Lebanon against the Hezbollah remains a significant obstacle to any broader agreement.

sraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he had ordered troops to advance further into Lebanon in the fight against Hezbollah.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Netanyahu about diplomatic negotiations, proposing a plan for gradual de-escalation, according to a US official.