Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said on Thursday it targeted a United States (US) ​airbase after the US military carried out what a Washington official said were strikes targeting an Iranian drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz, hours after President Donald ‌Trump rejected a report he was close to a compromise deal with Tehran.

The escalation in hostilities highlighted threats to the tenuous ceasefire between the US and Iran that took effect in early April, dampening hopes for a peace deal and sending oil prices surging again.

The US official, who requested anonymity to speak candidly about military operations, told Reuters the military shot down four Iranian attack drones and struck a ground control station in the port city of Bandar Abbas that was ​about to launch a fifth drone.

“These actions were measured, purely defensive and intended to maintain the ceasefire,” the official said.

The Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted a US base in response to ​what it described as an early morning US attack near Bandar Abbas airport, Tasnim news agency reported.

The IRGC said they targeted the US airbase from ⁠which the attack on the control station near Bandar Abbas was launched.

–Reuters–