New Delhi: The United States launched new airstrikes hitting Iran early Thursday, sparking retaliatory Iranian fire targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in crossfire that again threatened an interim deal aimed at finding a way to end the war gripping the Persian Gulf. "Central Command forces have started conducting additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.
The strikes came hours after US President Donald Trump said recent Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz signalled the end of the fragile ceasefire. The US military hit a variety of military sites and port facilities early Wednesday following Iran’s targeting of several merchant vessels off the coast of Oman, sparking Iranian fire then as well.
But Thursday’s attacks appeared bigger all around. There was no immediate word of damage in the three Gulf Arab countries. Kuwait’s military said it was actively intercepting incoming drones and missiles.
Iran will control Hormuz: Ghalibaf
Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, in a social media post, asserted that the Hormuz will be operated according to “Iranian arrangements”, not American threats. “America still hasn’t learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free. Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you’ll get hit,” Ghalibaf wrote on X.
“Don’t flail around pointlessly, or you’ll sink even deeper: the Strait of Hormuz will only open with “Iranian arrangements,” not American threats,” he added.
"We hit back much harder": Trump
Trump said that Iran wants to negotiate after fresh US retaliatory strikes, but questioned whether Tehran could be trusted to honour any agreement, saying Washington would continue responding forcefully while keeping its focus on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
"We hit back much harder," Trump said on Wednesday (local time).
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington after the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump said the United States had responded after attacks on commercial vessels.
"They just we just hit it very hard, and I say we hit them 20 to 1; every time they hit us, we're going to hit them 20. And we did it last night; we did a little something today, but it was really retribution for last night they hit actually three boats, not two, and when they hit, we hit back much harder," Trump said.
Asked whether the exchange marked a return to full-scale military conflict, Trump said, "I don't know, I don't know," but added that Washington had several options.
"We have many ways we can win, but we've already won militarily; they have very little left, and they want to make a deal so badly they called a little while ago. They want to make a deal so badly I just don't know if they're worthy of making a deal," he said.
"I don't know that they're going to honour the deal; that's the problem," Trump said.
(With inputs from agency)
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