US carries out fresh wave of 'defensive' strikes against Iranian military site
American forces have launched fresh military strikes against Iran, targeting a military facility in the key port city of Bandar Abbas.
US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed four Iranian attack drones were intercepted near the Strait of Hormuz after they "posed a threat" to the area.
The military facility in Bandar Abbas is said to have been struck as it prepared to launch a fifth drone.
Iranian state media said explosions were heard east of the city.
The latest operation marks the second US strike on Iranian territory in recent days, as the fragile ceasefire hangs by a thread.
The three-month conflict has heavily disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz while sending global energy prices sharply higher.
Centcom described the strikes as "measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire".
Earlier this week, the command also confirmed carrying out strikes against southern Iran targeting missile sites and vessels allegedly attempting to deploy naval mines in the Strait.
Thousands of commercial tankers remain stranded in the region due to the conflict.
The Pentagon said the operations were conducted "to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces".
Tehran condemned the attacks as "a grave violation of the ceasefire" and warned that Iran "will not leave any act of hostility unanswered."
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed on Tuesday to have shot down an American drone while also engaging a fighter jet and another unmanned aircraft it alleged had entered Iranian airspace.
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At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Donald Trump said Iran was "negotiating on fumes" and insisted the approaching midterm elections would not affect his military decisions.
"Maybe we have to go back and finish it, maybe we don't," Mr Trump said.
The President has repeatedly threatened to resume large-scale bombing operations if Tehran refuses to accept American terms.
Despite suggesting over the weekend that a peace agreement had been "largely negotiated", Mr Trump struck a more confrontational tone by Wednesday.
"They just want to make a deal - I don't think they have a choice," he told reporters.
He added: "So far, they haven't gotten there and we're not satisfied with it, but we will be. Either that or we'll have to just finish the job."
Iranian state TV later aired what it claimed were details of a draft peace agreement, reportedly including plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and remove American forces from the region.
The White House dismissed the reported document as a "complete fabrication".
Both Washington and Tehran had previously signalled that progress was being made in negotiations, fuelling speculation a deal could soon be announced.
However, Iranian officials later cautioned that no agreement was imminent, while Mr Trump said he had instructed negotiators "not to rush into" any settlement.
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