ISLAMABAD: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has claimed that its forces killed 37 US military officers in a precision strike on a secret gathering place in the United Arab Emirates.
The IRGC statement released on Tuesday detailed the operation as part of five naval strikes launched since dawn in the 89th wave of Operation True Promise 4.
According to the Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson, Qadir ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and attack drones targeted the covert site where US officers were reportedly meeting.
The strike reportedly resulted in 37 deaths with many more injured and hospitalized, the statement added.
This claim comes against the backdrop of intensified military exchanges between Iran and US-led forces in the region.
Independent verification of the specific casualty figures remains unavailable as of now.
In the broader conflict that escalated earlier this year, the Pentagon has reported 13 US personnel killed and over 300 wounded from Iranian actions across the Middle East.
UAE authorities have confirmed some previous Iranian strikes on facilities like Al Dhafra and Al Minhad air bases, reporting a total of around 13 deaths including military and civilians, with nearly 190 injured in recent waves.
Many of those casualties were expatriate workers from countries including Pakistan, India and Nepal.
The IRGC described the UAE target as a hidden relocation point for US commanders seeking to avoid detection following earlier attacks on overt bases.
Iranian forces claim to have also destroyed two early warning radar systems in UAE waters during the same series of operations.
Additional targets in the wave included an Israeli-linked oil tanker in the Persian Gulf and facilities near Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Drone swarms were reportedly directed at the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, prompting it to retreat further into the Indian Ocean, per Iranian accounts.
These operations underscore Iran’s strategy of asymmetric warfare using its extensive missile and drone arsenal against perceived US assets in the Gulf.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint, with the IRGC asserting continued control and vowing to keep it closed to adversaries.
Regional analysts note that such claims, while often inflated, serve to boost domestic morale and signal resolve amid heavy Israeli and American strikes on Iranian territory.
The conflict has seen Iran launch hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones towards Gulf states hosting US forces since late February.
UAE has responded by bolstering air defences and implementing travel restrictions, including barring Iranian nationals from entering major cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
With around 250,000 Iranians residing in the UAE, security concerns have heightened significantly.
Economic implications are mounting as energy prices fluctuate with threats to Gulf shipping lanes.
Oil prices have seen spikes in recent weeks due to fears over Strait of Hormuz disruptions.
US officials maintain that their forces in the region continue operations without acknowledging major losses from the latest claimed strike.
The divergent narratives highlight the information warfare component of the ongoing confrontation.
Pakistani diplomatic sources in the Gulf have called for de-escalation to protect the large South Asian expatriate community vulnerable in any wider conflict.
Further details on the claimed strike are expected as international monitoring continues.