The United States launched a new round of airstrikes on Iran early Thursday, prompting retaliatory strikes from Tehran targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. The escalation came after US President Donald Trump warned Iran would 'pay the price' for stalled ceasefire negotiations.
Explosions were reported across Iran, including the capital Tehran, the port city of Bandar Abbas and other areas along the Strait of Hormuz. The US assault appeared more intense than the previous day, but Iran released no details on what was hit. Kuwait closed its airspace due to the attack, while Bahrain sounded missile alert sirens and Jordan did not officially acknowledge the strikes.
The back-and-forth strikes mark the third such exchange this week, testing a fragile two-month ceasefire. The latest violence follows the downing of a US Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump blamed on Iran. US Central Command said the strikes were 'in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.'
Trump told reporters on Wednesday that the US was 'really close to a deal, but they keep tapping us along.' He also claimed the US had been 'taking out millions of barrels of oil' from Iran, without providing evidence. Iranian state media said previous US strikes hit two reservoirs in southern Iran, leaving 20,000 residents without water.
Talks to turn the ceasefire into a durable peace have stalled for weeks, with both sides trading blame for violations. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said the US strikes jeopardised negotiations. A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on Wednesday to discuss the latest developments.
Trump has threatened to resume military action since the ceasefire was established, and according to Fox News, he said he could order new strikes on power plants and bridges. The US is enforcing a blockade of Iran’s shipping routes, and a suspected missile strike left two crew members missing from a tanker, according to UK maritime security company Ambrey.
