Early Sunday morning local time, the U.S. military launched strikes against multiple targets inside Iran, including military equipment, communication systems, air defense positions, and drone storage facilities — marking the latest round in a series of retaliatory attacks that began on Thursday. The U.S. Central Command stated that the airstrikes were a "direct response" to Iran's ongoing attacks on commercial shipping. The U.S. Central Command accused Iran of using drones to attack the oil tanker "KiKu," which flies the Panamanian flag, though Iranian officials did not claim responsibility for the incident. Iranian state media reported that coastal cities near the Strait of Hormuz — Sirik, Konq, and Bandar Lengeh — had been hit. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched missile and drone attacks on U.S. facilities stationed in Kuwait and Bahrain. Early Sunday, Kuwait announced its air defense systems were intercepting incoming missiles and drones, with air raid sirens sounding across the country. Bahrain authorities also activated their air defense alerts. The IRGC warned that violating the ceasefire agreement — a pact signed between Iran and the U.S. — would lead to "the complete halt of the entire process."
Shortly after the new round of U.S. strikes, Trump posted on Truth Social, stating the operation was intended to punish Iran for breaching the current ceasefire agreement. He claimed the U.S. had hit missile and drone storage sites as well as coastal radar stations. He threatened further military action if Iran continued its attacks, writing: "At some point, we may no longer be able to remain rational, and will be forced to complete the very successful mission we've begun militarily." "If this happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will cease to exist!" Originally, the preliminary agreement between the two sides included plans to restore normal maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, but repeated escalations in the region have placed increasing pressure on the deal.
Earlier Saturday, Iran fired attack drones at Bahrain as retaliation for a U.S. airstrike the previous night targeting Iranian missile and drone bases — an attack itself triggered by Iran’s Thursday assault on the Singapore-flagged cargo ship "Ever Lovely." Whether these reciprocal strikes will ultimately stall negotiations toward a final peace agreement remains to be seen. Analysts suggest both sides appear to be testing each other's red lines, yet neither seems eager to return to full-scale war at this stage. Following the Trump administration’s announcement Friday of a potential agreement between Israel and Lebanon that could help end local conflict, Israeli forces carried out a drone strike in southern Lebanon on Saturday — just one day after agreeing to withdraw part of their troops from the area. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported one death resulting from the strike, underscoring the fragility of the ceasefire aimed at ending fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1869215282366537/
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