US says conducting new wave of strikes on Iran as ceasefire falters
The United States military has said it is conducting another wave of strikes on Iran, a day after launching another round of attacks.
The escalation is the most severe since both sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) ending the fighting in mid June and has threatened a return to full-fledged war.
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X on Wednesday that at President Donald Trump’s direction, its forces “have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”.
“The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway,” CENTCOM said.
The post came shortly after Iran’s Mehr news agency reported air defences were engaging what it described as “hostile targets” near the port city of Bandar Abbas, as well as explosions near Konarak, Chabahar and Bushehr.
Both the US and Iran have accused the other of violating the MoU, which ended fighting, lifted the US naval blockade on Iran, and opened the Strait of Hormuz, while leaving more intractable issues, like the future of Iran’s nuclear programme and administration of the strait, to be determined over a 60-day negotiating period.
The key point of contention appears to be over the fifth clause of the MoU, which says that Iran “will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels, with no charge for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, and vice versa”.
Iran has interpreted the provision to mean it had sole “responsibility in determining arrangements for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz”, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Wednesday. That position has been used to justify attacks on unapproved vessels transiting the strait.
The Trump administration has maintained that the MoU requires unfettered passage to all vessels, Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett reported from Washington, DC.
“Since the signing of the memorandum of understanding, opening that 60-day window to allow for broader negotiations, the US has insisted that any uptick in conflict and military clashes is the result of Iran exercising sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz,” Halkett said, “which the White House insists is an international waterway and necessary for the global economy.”
Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Trump said the exchange of attacks, which saw Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) strike US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait, meant the ceasefire was “over”.
Still, he said he did not want a return to full-fledged war and suggested that negotiations could still continue.
Speaking from a NATO summit in Ankara, Trump also lodged a laundry list of threats against Iran.
Beyond another round of strikes, Trump said the US could reinstate its naval blockade on Iran and target its electricity and water plants – attacks that international law experts say constitute war crimes.
He also said that US forces “may take over” Iran’s Kharg Island, a prospect that would all but assuredly require boots on the ground.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗
The United States military said it launched additional strikes on Iran following Iranian attacks on US military installations. This marks the most significant escalation since both countries signed a ceasefire agreement in June. The dispute stems from differing interpretations of that agreement's clause on commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran contends it has sole responsibility for determining safe passage arrangements; the US maintains the clause requires unfettered access for all vessels. Both sides have accused the other of violating the ceasefire. President Trump stated the ceasefire agreement is ended but suggested negotiations could resume, while outlining potential further military options.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗
The United States military has said it is conducting another wave of strikes on Iran, a day after launching another round of attacks.
The escalation is the most severe since both sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) ending the fighting in mid June and has threatened a return to full-fledged war.
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X on Wednesday that at President Donald Trump’s direction, its forces “have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”.
“The United States is holding Iran accountable for recent unjustified aggression against commercial shipping and civilian crews freely navigating a vital international waterway,” CENTCOM said.
The post came shortly after Iran’s Mehr news agency reported air defences were engaging what it described as “hostile targets” near the port city of Bandar Abbas, as well as explosions near Konarak, Chabahar and Bushehr.
Both the US and Iran have accused the other of violating the MoU, which ended fighting, lifted the US naval blockade on Iran, and opened the Strait of Hormuz, while leaving more intractable issues, like the future of Iran’s nuclear programme and administration of the strait, to be determined over a 60-day negotiating period.
The key point of contention appears to be over the fifth clause of the MoU, which says that Iran “will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels, with no charge for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, and vice versa”.
Iran has interpreted the provision to mean it had sole “responsibility in determining arrangements for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz”, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Wednesday. That position has been used to justify attacks on unapproved vessels transiting the strait.
The Trump administration has maintained that the MoU requires unfettered passage to all vessels, Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett reported from Washington, DC.
“Since the signing of the memorandum of understanding, opening that 60-day window to allow for broader negotiations, the US has insisted that any uptick in conflict and military clashes is the result of Iran exercising sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz,” Halkett said, “which the White House insists is an international waterway and necessary for the global economy.”
Speaking earlier on Wednesday, Trump said the exchange of attacks, which saw Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) strike US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait, meant the ceasefire was “over”.
Still, he said he did not want a return to full-fledged war and suggested that negotiations could still continue.
Speaking from a NATO summit in Ankara, Trump also lodged a laundry list of threats against Iran.
Beyond another round of strikes, Trump said the US could reinstate its naval blockade on Iran and target its electricity and water plants – attacks that international law experts say constitute war crimes.
He also said that US forces “may take over” Iran’s Kharg Island, a prospect that would all but assuredly require boots on the ground.
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗
The United States military conducted another wave of strikes on Iran at President Trump's direction Iran's air defences engaged hostile targets near several Iranian port cities including Bandar Abbas, Konarak, and Chabahar A ceasefire memorandum was signed in June, which lifted the US naval blockade and opened the Strait of Hormuz Iran's Foreign Ministry stated Iran has sole responsibility for determining safe passage arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz under the MoU The Trump administration maintains the MoU requires unfettered passage for all vessels Iran's attacks on US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait violated the ceasefire Iran's insistence on sovereignty over strait passage constitutes a violation of the ceasefire The ceasefire is 'over'
Read the full story at Al Jazeera ↗
- The US military conducted a new wave of strikes on Iran following Iranian attacks on US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait
- Both sides accuse each other of violating a June ceasefire agreement (MoU) over interpretation of shipping passage rights in the Strait of Hormuz
- The disagreement centers on whether Iran has sole authority to determine safe passage arrangements or whether the strait requires unfettered access for all vessels
- Trump said the ceasefire is 'over' but indicated negotiations could continue, while threatening additional military action including a naval blockade and strikes on infrastructure
How we verified this · single source · not yet corroborated
The thread
- Iran ceasefire's end drives up oil prices and uncertainty
- Oil prices jump over 5% after Trump suggests ceasefire with Iran has ended following fresh US strikes – as it happened
- US launches strikes on Iran for a second day after Trump says agreement to end the war is ‘over’
- Iran strikes drive oil price gains