The United States military renewed strikes on Iran for a second consecutive day, triggering retaliatory Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, escalating tensions and derailing efforts to end the war.
Trump Declares Ceasefire 'Over'
President Donald Trump stated that he believes the interim ceasefire with Iran is effectively finished. Speaking before a NATO summit in Turkey on Wednesday, Trump responded to a question about the memorandum of understanding: "It's a very interesting question. To me, I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them."
US and Iranian Military Actions
The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on X that the additional attacks against Iran were conducted to "further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation" in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes rattled several cities along Iran's southern coast and left some areas without power.
In response, Iran launched a second day of attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, both of which host US military bases. Sirens sounded in both countries as projectiles were detected. Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned that their response would extend to other US bases in the region if the US repeats its attacks.
Regional Reactions
Kuwait's defense ministry reported that it was intercepting missiles and drones aimed at the country. Qatar briefly issued an "elevated security threat" alert before later giving the all-clear. The exchanges have heightened security concerns across the Persian Gulf.
Trump's Warning and Iranian Vow
Trump vowed that "much worse" was to come, writing on Truth Social: "This is in retribution for yesterday's bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!"
Iran's top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, asserted that the Strait of Hormuz would remain under Iranian management. "The Strait of Hormuz will be reopened only under Iranian arrangements, not through U.S. threats," he wrote on X.
Impact on Peace Efforts
The latest exchange of strikes appeared to dim hopes of turning the memorandum of understanding signed on 17 June into a permanent deal to end the war, which began with US-Israeli attacks on Iran on 28 February. The renewed hostilities come as Iranians prepare to bury their late supreme leader Ali Khamenei in his hometown of Mashhad in northeast Iran on Thursday. Khamenei was killed in US strikes in February, and his burial follows a multi-day funeral ceremony that attracted millions of mourners across Iran and Iraq.
