U.S. forces strike boats, missile sites in Iran

本站添加: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]A US attack on Iran is just the latest flare up between the two sides, but it does not appear to be enough to reignite the war this morning. Those American air strikes bringing threats of retaliation from Iran's Revolutionary Guard and keeping the world's focus on the Strait of Hormuz. Reopening that body of water remains the central issue and control of the economically vital shipping route for the world's oil and gas could still prove to be a deal breakaker. Let's turn to Willie Lowry covering the Middle East for us. And Willie, how does the US military explain why they attacked overnight?

[00:00:35]>> David, US Central Command says that these strikes were in self-defense, that they were targeting Iranian missile launch sites in the southern part of the country near the port city of Bandar Abbasa. Also say that they were going after boats that were trying to lay mines in the straight of Hormuz. They added, sentcom added that these strikes were not indicative of a breakdown in the ceasefire. They said that the US military used restraint in this latest round of kinetic activity and that they were still observing that fragile ceasefire in place since April 8th. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is wrapping up a multi-day trip to India, meanwhile uh defended the strikes while speaking to reporters earlier this morning. Let's take a brief listen to Rubio.

[00:01:24]>> The streets have to be open. They're going to be open one way or the other.

[00:01:27]So, they need to be open. What's happening there is unlawful. It's illegal. It's unsustainable to the world. It's unacceptable. Um I don't know of any country in the world that doesn't.

[00:01:37]>> Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, David, reserved the right to defend and retaliate against what it called US violation of the ceasefire. the IRGC adding that they had shot down a US drone and fired at a US fighter jet that they say entered Iranian airspace.

[00:01:56]Meanwhile, the country's Supreme Leader Mushtaba Hamei issued a fairly defiant and rare statement on the messaging app Telegram. He said, quote, "The United States not only will no longer have a safe haven for its mischief and for establishing military bases in the region, but day by day, it is growing more distant from its former status."

[00:02:21]So, pretty strong rhetoric there this morning, David, out of Thran.

[00:02:26]>> And Willie, we should be clear. Even if there is strong rhetoric, even if the Iranians are threatening to retaliate, even if the Americans are again carrying out limited air strikes, it does not appear to be enough to undo the talks that are ongoing.

[00:02:41]That's that's right. So despite this kinetic activity, US and Iranian negotiators are still parsing through the language of this framework that would see an end to this conflict in exchange for the opening or reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. And Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that while yesterday he thought it could be done imminently, uh he was a little less enthusiastic this morning, but still confident it would eventually get done.

[00:03:10]Let's take a brief listen to Rubio.

[00:03:13]>> It's going to take a couple days uh to settle on even down to the disagreements over a word uh sentence. So, we'll have to work through that. If there's going to be a deal, we're going to have to work through that. But this is uh you know, it's either going to be a good deal or there isn't going to be one.

[00:03:28]>> Iranian state media, meanwhile, confirming that they were close to finalizing this framework. They also said that the country's top negotiator, Muhammad Galibbah, was in Qatar negotiating the final point of this memorandum of understanding, which they say is to release $24 billion in frozen assets. David >> Willie Lowry, thank you very much.