Donald Trump has raised the possibility of additional strikes against Iran, as the US launched a second consecutive day of attacks across southern Iran. The strikes mark the most severe breach of the April ceasefire since it was agreed, following the downing of a US helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that if further action is required, it will be “strong and clear”. US officials have sought to downplay the significance of the attacks, insisting the ceasefire remains in place and that wider negotiations with Iran are unaffected. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump sent a message via Qatar to Iran, stating the attacks did not signal a return to all-out war.
Oil prices climbed more than $2 a barrel amid the fresh strikes, while stock markets across Asia fell. The US embassy in Jordan issued an alert after Iran claimed to have launched 12 ballistic missiles at al-Azraq airbase, which hosts US aircraft. Jordanian forces said all missiles were intercepted, with debris causing no injuries.
Kuwait temporarily closed its airspace due to Iranian attacks, and the IRGC claimed to have targeted bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. The escalation comes as Trump faces plummeting approval ratings and rising inflation, with the war proving unpopular at home ahead of midterm elections.
