The United States has conducted what it described as 'self-defence' airstrikes against Iran, jeopardising a fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. The strikes targeted missile launch sites and mine-laying boats in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil passageway that Iran has effectively closed during the ongoing conflict, according to US Central Command.
Centcom spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins confirmed the strikes on Monday evening, stating they were intended to protect US troops from Iranian threats. Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to lay mines. Two Iranian vessels were caught mining the strait, and a senior US official reported that the US military eliminated both Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps boats and struck a surface-to-air missile site in Bandar Abbas that was targeting US warplanes.
Iranian state media also reported explosions in other cities, according to CNN. While two sources indicated the strikes do not necessarily break the ceasefire, they highlight the fraught US-Iran relationship amid the nearly three-month war. The Independent has sought comment from the White House and the Defence Department.
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that negotiations to end the Iran war were 'proceeding nicely' but warned that a peace agreement must be a great deal for all or result in a return to battle. He also claimed to have spoken with leaders of several Middle Eastern nations, stating that it should be mandatory for them to sign onto the Abraham Accords, which normalised relations with Israel during his first term.
