Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that he considers the provisional ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran to be "over," following an exchange of attacks between the two countries during the early hours of the morning.
The new military escalation in the Persian Gulf has heightened fears of regional instability and sent prices soaring.
The statements came after a night of intense fighting. The United States Armed Forces announced that they had launched strikes against more than 80 Iranian targets, including air defense systems, command and control networks, and anti-ship missile capabilities. According to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation was intended to respond to attacks attributed to Iran against three merchant vessels in waters near Oman, in the Strait of Hormuz region.
Washington described Iran's actions as a "clear violation of the ceasefire" and justified the airstrikes as a way of imposing "heavy costs" on Tehran for attacking civilian vessels along one of the world's most important maritime trade routes.
Iranian Counterattack
Iran's response came swiftly. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that it had struck 85 U.S. military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain through a joint missile and drone operation. In a statement released by Iranian state media, the regime also claimed to have shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone.
The Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, the central command structure of the Iranian Armed Forces, described the U.S. attacks as an "open act of aggression" and vowed an "overwhelming response." Tehran also warned that all U.S. military bases in the region could become "legitimate targets."
In Kuwait, authorities confirmed that air defense systems were intercepting hostile missiles and drones. Bahrain also activated its air defense alerts following the attacks.
Source: BBC
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