The United States has renewed military strikes on Iran for a second consecutive day, prompting retaliatory Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in a major escalation that threatens to derail efforts to end the ongoing war.
Trump Declares Ceasefire 'Over'
President Donald Trump stated he believed the interim ceasefire with Iran to be effectively terminated. Asked before a NATO summit in Turkey on Wednesday whether the memorandum of understanding was still in place, Trump replied: “It’s a very interesting question. To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them.”
US Central Command Details Strikes
The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on X that the additional attacks against Iran were conducted to “further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes rattled several cities along Iran’s southern coast and left some areas without power, according to local reports.
Iranian Retaliation Targets US Bases
In response, Iran launched a second day of attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, both of which host US military bases. Air raid sirens sounded in both countries. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that their response would extend to other US bases in the region if the US repeats its attacks. Kuwait’s defense ministry confirmed it was intercepting missiles and drones, while Qatar briefly issued an “elevated security threat” alert before later giving the all-clear.
Trump Vows Escalation
Trump vowed that “much worse” was to come. “This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran,” he wrote on Truth Social. “If it happens again, it will get much worse!”
Iran Insists on Control of Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, vowed that the Strait of Hormuz would remain under Iranian management. “The Strait of Hormuz will be reopened only under Iranian arrangements, not through U.S. threats,” he wrote on X.
Peace Efforts Derailed
The latest exchange of strikes appeared to dim hopes of turning a memorandum of understanding signed on 17 June into a permanent deal to end the war, which began with US-Israeli attacks on Iran on 28 February.
Iran Prepares for Khamenei Burial
The fresh strikes come as Iranians prepare to bury their late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in his hometown of Mashhad in northeastern Iran on Thursday, after he was killed in US strikes in February. The Ayatollah’s burial follows a multi-day funeral ceremony that attracted millions of mourners across various cities in both Iran and Iraq.
