U.S., Iran exchange fire threatening peace talks

The U.S. said on Thursday (May 28, 2026) that it had shot down five drones launched by Iran over the Strait of Hormuz and struck a ground control station in Bandar Abbas, while Iran fired ballistic missiles at an American base in Kuwait, threatening ongoing negotiations to end the war.

“At 10:17 p.m. ET on May 27, Iran launched a ballistic missile toward Kuwait that was successfully intercepted by Kuwaiti forces,” the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.

Iran-Israel war LIVE updates – May 28, 2026

“This egregious ceasefire violation by the Iranian regime occurred hours after Iranian forces launched five one-way attack drones that posed a clear threat in and near the Strait of Hormuz. All drones were successfully intercepted by U.S. forces which also prevented a sixth drone launch from an Iranian ground control site in Bandar Abbas,” it added.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it launched new strikes “targeting the U.S. air base from which the attack originated”.

“This response is a serious warning to the enemy that they should know the act of aggression will not go unanswered,” the IRGC said in a statement, which was released along with a video footage of the missile launch. The Guards warned of “a more decisive response” if the U.S. repeats attacks.

The U.S. has five military bases in Kuwait.

The exchange took place amid reports that the U.S. and Iran made progress in recent weeks to reach an agreement to end the war, which the U.S. and Israel launched on February 28. After the war broke out, Iran took control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea.

According to Iranian media, Thursday’s clashes began when a U.S. tanker tried to “illegally” cross the Strait of Hormuz after switching off its tracking system. “Following a swift and decisive response by the IRGC Navy, including warning fire directed towards the vessel, the tanker was forced to stop and retreat,” Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Armed Forces said on Thursday (May 28, 2026) that the country activated its air defences in response to “hostile missile and drone threats”.

CENTCOM said the “U.S. and regional partners remain vigilant and measured as we continue to defend our forces and interests from unjustified Iranian aggression.”