US CENTCOM Strikes IRGC Missile Sites + Mine-Laying Boats Near Bandar Abbas; Iran Accuses US of 'Flagrant Ceasefire Violation' — Day 88

US Central Command conducted strikes near Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province on May 26, 2026 (Day 88), targeting IRGC missile launch sites and naval vessels that CENTCOM said were attempting to emplace mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The US characterized the strikes as 'self-defense' actions, saying Iran had carried out 24 hours of provocation including missile launches, drone attacks, and small-boat maneuvers. Iran's foreign ministry condemned the strikes as 'flagrant ceasefire violations,' noting provocatively that Iran's diplomatic delegation was reportedly mid-flight to Qatar for ongoing peace negotiations when the strikes occurred. The IRGC confirmed the deaths of at least four Iranian navy officers in the attacks and formally reserved its 'legitimate and definite' right to retaliate. Iranian state media labeled US maritime actions 'numerous maritime robberies' against Iranian commercial vessels. Despite the strikes, the IRGC claimed that 25 vessels — including oil tankers — transited the Strait of Hormuz 'in the last day and night' under IRGC-coordinated security arrangements, suggesting Hormuz passage remained technically operational even as tensions escalated sharply. The attacks threatened to derail the peace negotiations that had been on the cusp of a framework MoU as recently as Day 87, when Rubio described 'a pretty solid thing on the table.' NPR published a headline 'Prospects fade for imminent end to Iran war as attacks restart,' capturing the sudden reversal in diplomatic momentum.