On Wednesday night, the U.S. launched a new round of strikes against Iran. The U.S. Central Command stated that the operation aimed to weaken Iran's capability to threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Previously, at the NATO summit held in Turkey, Trump said he believed the ceasefire agreement reached three weeks ago between the U.S. and Iran "has already ended," yet he remained open to negotiations and expressed no expectation of either side returning to full-scale war. Iranian state media reported explosions heard in at least three port cities along the country’s southeastern coast; subsequently, Kuwaiti military forces announced they were intercepting drones and missiles, while Bahrain also activated emergency alerts. Iran's Supreme Leader's senior military adviser, Mohsen Rezaei, warned that "aggressive enemies and their allies" would face severe consequences.
This latest round of strikes has brought an already fragile ceasefire close to collapse. In recent days, both sides have accused each other of violating ceasefire terms, with the conflict centering on the Strait of Hormuz—the critical global energy transit route. Iran claims the agreement grants it regulatory authority over the strait and demands ships use routes designated by Iran. The United States, meanwhile, accuses Iran of multiple attacks on commercial vessels in the strait recently. This U.S. military action marks the second strike against Iran within two days following attacks on merchant ships. On Tuesday, the U.S. also revoked the sanctions exemptions previously granted to Iran’s oil industry under the ceasefire deal. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has once again come to a halt, prompting the International Maritime Organization to urge shipping companies to avoid this waterway, while oil prices rose by about 5% to approximately $78 per barrel. During his return flight to the U.S., Trump claimed Iran had proactively reached out and was "very eager to reach an agreement," though Iran has not yet confirmed any new talks.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870207105578185/
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