Tensions in West Asia rose sharply on Monday as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had targeted a US military base, while Washington also announced new attacks on Iranian military facilities.The location of the base was not specified in the Guards’ statement, which was broadcast by IRIB and other Iranian state media.The development came as Kuwait’s military said its air defense system was responding to drone and missile attacks. “Kuwaiti air defenses are currently facing hostile missile and drone attacks,” the military said in a post on Twitter. It said any explosion sounds heard by residents were the result of air defense systems intercepting incoming threats and advised people to follow safety and security instructions.

Latest US attacks in Iran

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said it conducted self-defense strikes against Iranian radar and command-and-control sites used for drones in what it described as “aggressive Iranian actions.”According to CENTCOM, the strikes targeted radar and drone control facilities on Goruk, Iran, and Qeshm Island. The operation was carried out on Saturday and Sunday (local time) after it was reported that an American MQ-1 drone operating in international waters was shot down.CENTCOM said U.S. warplanes responded “swiftly” to the incident, destroying “Iranian air defenses, a ground control station, and two unilateral attack drones”, which it said posed a “clear threat” to ships transiting territorial waters.The command described the operation as “measured and deliberate” and insisted that it was carried out in self-defense.“No U.S. service members were harmed,” CENTCOM said. He said he would “continue to protect U.S. assets and interests in response to unjustified Iranian aggression during the ongoing ceasefire.”

Iran has disputed the US account of events. The IRGC said its air defense units shot down a US MQ-1 drone early Sunday after it reportedly entered Iranian territorial airspace, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.The drone was detected by Iranian surveillance and air defense systems and subsequently targeted by advanced air defense missiles, the statement said. Iranian officials claimed that the aircraft was successfully destroyed.The IRGC identified the drone as US military and said it was shot down because it had entered Iranian airspace “with the intention of carrying out hostile operations.”

The latest development comes days after another exchange of attacks between the two sides. The IRGC had earlier said it had targeted a US air base in the region following fresh US attacks on southern Iran.The Iranian missile launch came after the US shot down an Iranian drone over the Strait of Hormuz and attacked a military site in Bandar Abbas, a strategic port city in southern Iran.The IRGC said the attack on the US airport occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning and targeted “the source” of earlier US attacks on Iran, according to state broadcaster IRIB.

Diplomacy continues amid tension

The renewed military exchanges have raised concerns about the sustainability of a fragile ceasefire, even as Washington and Tehran continue indirect talks on a potential deal to end the three-month-long conflict.US War Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that military action could resume if an agreement fails to meet Washington’s requirements.“Our reserves are well suited for this,” Hegseth declared during an address in Singapore.President Donald Trump has reportedly sent back a separate proposed deal with Iran for further amendments. The US President also said he was in “no hurry” to finalize a deal. According to Axios, as cited by CBS News, Trump sought several amendments during Friday’s meeting and sought additional amendments afterward.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged caution on reports related to the talks, saying, “Until there is a conclusion… everything that is being said now is speculation.”Iranian media reported that diplomatic talks were ongoing, with both sides continuing to propose changes to the draft agreement.

Meanwhile, Iran has restored access to a significant portion of its underground missile infrastructure after months of excavation and repair work, according to a CNN report. The report said the development highlighted “the limitations of the American bombing strategy”, which had focused on sealing tunnel entrances.The latest military action has raised fears that the ceasefire could collapse despite ongoing diplomatic efforts with Qatar and other regional players.