The United States launched a new wave of attacks against Iran overnight from Saturday to Sunday, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards retaliated by striking US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain.
The two sides are accusing each other of violating the fragile ceasefire signed on 17 June, with US President Donald Trump threatening the destruction of the Islamic Republic.
Late on Saturday night, US fighter jets struck ten locations in Iran, targeting surveillance military infrastructure, communications systems, air defence facilities, drone storage sites and mine-laying capabilities, according to US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East.
Explosions were heard in the Sirik area of southern Iran, with state broadcaster IRIB reporting that a telecommunications tower had been hit, citing an Iranian military official. It also reported that projectiles struck a village on Qeshm Island, with no immediate information on casualties.
According to CENTCOM, following Saturday’s US strikes in retaliation for the Iranian attack on the cargo ship Ever Lovely, “Iran had the opportunity to honour the ceasefire agreement, but chose not to do so.” It said Iranian forces had struck the Panama-flagged tanker Kiku with a suicide drone while it was sailing near the Strait of Hormuz carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil.
In the early hours of Sunday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced that they had launched missiles and drones against US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain in retaliation for the latest American strikes on Iran.
“The violation of the ceasefire contradicts Article 1 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding and will lead to the complete suspension of all diplomatic processes,” the statement said, according to Press TV.
The Revolutionary Guards claimed they had “destroyed eight major US military facilities” at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and at the US Fifth Fleet base at Salman port in Bahrain.
“Any hostile attack, regardless of the pretext, even against insignificant targets, will receive a merciless response,” the statement added.
In Kuwait, the armed forces confirmed missile and drone attacks. In Bahrain, air raid sirens sounded and authorities urged residents to remain calm and seek safe shelter.
Threat of destruction
US President Donald Trump issued threats against Iran following the latest American attacks on the Islamic Republic.
“American aircraft have just struck Iranian missile and drone warehouses, as well as coastal radar positions, over the renewed violation of the ceasefire agreement” between Washington and Tehran, Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“There may come a time when we are forced to militarily complete the job we started so successfully,” he added, warning that “if that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist.”
“A serious mistake”
On another front of the conflict, the leader of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah described the agreement signed between Lebanon and Israel, with US mediation, as a “major mistake”.
“The Washington framework agreement is humiliating, shameful and represents a surrender of national sovereignty,” Naim Qassem said, accusing the Lebanese government of “legitimising” the occupation of the country’s territory.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held a phone call with US President Donald Trump and assured him that Beirut “will assume its responsibilities” regarding the implementation of the agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the framework agreement, describing it as a “blow” to Iran and Hezbollah.
“We reached a historic agreement for the State of Israel following direct negotiations with Lebanon,” Netanyahu said during a press briefing. “This is a blow we have dealt to Iran and Hezbollah,” he added.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, however, denounced the agreement as a “major mistake”. He said the Lebanese government includes Hezbollah ministers and that “we cannot trust Lebanon to seize the weapons” of the organisation, which “only Israeli soldiers” will destroy.
Source: ANA-MPA, AFP, Reuters
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