![Hon. Festus Keyamo SAN arrives MMIA past 11:50 p.m. Feb 23 to lead oversight of Terminal 1 fire. Joined FAAN MD & team actively managing situation. Directed morning inspection Tuesday to guide restoration & confirm safety standards. Reaffirmed focus on passenger safety. Story: [link] #KeyamoMMIA #FireIncident #FAAN](https://fullcliphq.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/mym-150x150.jpg "MMIA Fire: Keyamo Inspects Lagos Airport After Terminal 1 Blaze Disrupts Flights")
U.S. forces carried out what it calls targeted self-defense strikes on Monday evening, May 25, 2026, against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fast-attack boats attempting to lay naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz and a surface-to-air missile site near Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed.
The precision strikes destroyed the vessels and neutralized the missile launchers, which CENTCOM said had locked onto U.S. aircraft. No American assets were damaged. Officials described the action as proportionate, limited in scope, and strictly defensive.
“U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” CENTCOM stated. “U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”
Explosions were reported in eastern Bandar Abbas, home to Iran’s primary naval headquarters on the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media acknowledged the incidents but claimed the situation was “under control” with no significant damage. Local residents reported hearing three blasts and seeing air-defense systems activate.
The incident marks the latest naval skirmish in the 2026 U.S.-Iran conflict, which escalated earlier this year with American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and military infrastructure. A fragile ceasefire took effect in early April, facilitated through back-channel diplomacy involving Qatar, Pakistan, and other regional actors. The truce aimed to reduce tensions while allowing negotiations on reopening the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping and addressing Iran’s nuclear program.
Despite the agreement, IRGC forces have conducted repeated small-scale probes, including mine-laying attempts and harassment of vessels – tactics Iran has used in past crises to assert influence over the strategic waterway. The Strait of Hormuz, just 21 miles wide at its narrowest point, carries roughly one-fifth of global oil trade and nearly all of Qatar’s liquefied natural gas exports. Any major disruption would have immediate and widespread effects on world energy markets.
Monday’s strikes took place as an Iranian delegation arrived in Doha, Qatar, for what diplomats described as “intense” negotiations with U.S. and regional counterparts. President Donald Trump has publicly stated the talks are “proceeding nicely,” while emphasising the need for verifiable Iranian commitments on uranium stockpiles and freedom of navigation. Iran has accused the U.S. of using military pressure as a negotiating tactic.
A senior U.S. official told reporters the strikes were “very small in scope” and do not signal the end of the ceasefire. “This is not a restarting of the war,” the official said.
The event underscores the narrow margin between maintaining the ceasefire and responding to perceived threats. Iran’s IRGC Navy has long regarded the Strait of Hormuz as its strategic lifeline. Under international law, the strait is classified as an international waterway where transit passage cannot be suspended. Iran, which has not ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), disputes the extent of that right in its territorial waters.
For global markets, the stakes remain high. Oil prices, already volatile due to the broader conflict, could rise further if tensions escalate or if mine-clearance operations become necessary. Shipping insurance rates for Gulf transits have already increased, with major exporters including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the UAE closely monitoring developments.