WASHINGTON, D.C., June 3, 2026 — The United States and Iran carried out a new round of military strikes on Tuesday as negotiations aimed at securing a ceasefire and ending months of conflict failed to make progress.
According to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), American forces launched what it described as “self-defense” strikes against an Iranian military ground-control station on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military also reported intercepting ballistic missiles and attack drones allegedly launched by Iran toward commercial shipping routes and U.S. allies in the Gulf.
CENTCOM stated that Iran fired two missiles toward Kuwait and three toward Bahrain. U.S. officials said the missiles either broke apart during flight or were successfully intercepted before reaching their targets.
Iran, however, said it had conducted missile and drone operations against U.S. military facilities and helicopters in a regional country as retaliation for American actions. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that any attempt to undermine security in the Strait of Hormuz would come at a “heavy price” for U.S. forces.
The latest escalation comes as diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire remain stalled. Talks over the weekend reportedly failed to produce significant breakthroughs, with both sides accusing each other of changing positions and introducing new demands.
The U.S. military also announced that it had disabled a Botswana-flagged oil tanker heading toward Iran as part of Washington’s naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said the vessel repeatedly ignored warnings from U.S. forces before a Hellfire missile was fired into its engine room, rendering it inoperable.
President Donald Trump has continued to express optimism about a potential agreement, stating that Iran “really wants to make a deal.” However, Iranian officials have accused Washington of constantly altering the terms of negotiations, particularly regarding restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress that sanctions relief for Iran remains conditional on addressing concerns related to Tehran’s nuclear activities. He emphasized that Washington had not offered sanctions relief in exchange for reopening maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
The renewed military exchanges have heightened tensions across the Gulf region, raising concerns about maritime security, global energy supplies, and the prospects for a diplomatic resolution to one of the most serious confrontations between the United States and Iran in recent years.
