The United States and Iran have exchanged accusations of violating the recently signed ceasefire agreement after both sides launched military strikes. Days after US President Donald Trump signed the accord, US Central Command (Centcom) confirmed it had struck multiple targets across Iran, escalating tensions in the region.
US Strikes on Iranian Targets
Centcom stated that Iran failed to honour the ceasefire when its forces launched a one-way attack drone that hit the Panama-flagged tanker MT Kiku. In response, US fighter jets conducted strikes on 10 Iranian military targets at multiple locations in and near the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the US attacked five coastal posts under the pretext of the IRGC Navy confronting the offending ship.
Iranian Retaliation and Accusations
Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at eight key pieces of infrastructure at the Ali al-Salem base in Kuwait and the Fifth Naval Fleet in Port Salman, Bahrain, claiming to have destroyed them. However, an American official told Reuters that no buildings had been damaged. The IRGC warned that any aggression, even against minor targets, would receive a crushing response, and that this could lead to a complete breakdown in peace talks with the US.
Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the US strikes as brutal violations of the ceasefire agreement, stating that the US does not place value on its commitments and that breaking promises is part of its nature. Meanwhile, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that it was very possible Tehran would never learn, adding: 'There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!'
Regional Impact and Responses
Last week, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, requiring ships to seek permission to pass through the strategic waterway. Iran also accused the US of breaching the ceasefire by allowing ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which were supposed to end as part of the peace deal. Following the latest US strikes, Kuwait and Bahrain reported that their air defence systems had been activated. The Kuwaiti Armed Forces stated they were confronting hostile missile and drone attacks and issued safety instructions to the public. Bahrain's Ministry of Interior urged citizens to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.
