The United States and Iran have threatened to reignite their conflict after the most extensive exchange of fire since an interim ceasefire deal was signed last month. On a chaotic day at the NATO summit in Ankara, President Donald Trump said the US would likely strike Iran again and renewed threats to take control of the strategic Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz, a move that could provoke Iran to hit energy installations across Gulf states. He later tempered his remarks, saying a return to full-scale war was unlikely and that the fighting would end quickly.
US Strikes 80 Targets in Retaliation
US Central Command said 80 targets were struck in the early hours of Wednesday in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. The US Treasury also revoked a temporary sanctions waiver for Tehran to export oil, one of the few tangible benefits Iran had from the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on June 14. Iran, which reported eight army and navy personnel killed in the US strikes, responded with attacks on US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said 85 facilities were targeted. Air raid sirens sounded three times in Bahrain and twice in Kuwait. The exchanges pushed oil prices sharply higher on Wednesday morning.
Iran's New Doctrine and Strait Dispute
At the center of the renewed fighting is Iran's claim that ships must traverse the Strait only with its permission. Tehran demands ships use a northern passage and asserts that a US-sponsored southern route near Oman violates a clause in the MoU that left Iran in control, though obligated to restore shipping traffic to pre-war levels within 30 days, including demining. Speaking at the NATO summit, Trump said he believed the ceasefire was over, launching insults at Iranian leaders. He later warned, “We’re going to hit them hard tonight,” and claimed the overnight strikes destroyed Iranian surveillance radar sites. “In one day, we could take down all of Iran’s bridges and power plants,” he said, adding that Iran would be “powerless to stop it.”
Trump's Rhetoric Softens
By Wednesday evening, Trump tempered his tone, stating the conflict would end “very quickly.” He said, “They hit a few ships and so we hit them much harder, but we do not intend to continue in the long term.” He also suggested Israel could withdraw from southern Lebanon, a key Iranian demand. The shift may have been influenced by rising oil prices and calls from NATO allies like the UK, France, and Germany to focus on a peace agreement. The hostilities marked the latest ceasefire violations despite a truce in April and the MoU signed last month, which aimed for at least 60 days of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program and a permanent end to hostilities.
Commercial Vessels Targeted
The US said Iran struck three commercial vessels: the Marshallese-flagged al Rekayyat, Saudi-flagged Wedyan, and Liberian-flagged Cyprus Prosperity. The attack on al Rekayyat was serious as it carried Qatari liquid gas; Qatar, a mediator in US-Iran talks, summoned the deputy Iranian ambassador in Doha for an explanation. The US called the attacks a flagrant ceasefire violation and a threat to freedom of navigation, leading to the revocation of the sanctions waiver. Iranian officials said the strikes reasserted control over the waterway, through which 20% of the world's seaborne oil and gas flows. They accused the US of violating MoU terms by opening new sea lanes without permission. “Responsibility for the dangerous consequences lies with the deceitful US regime,” the foreign ministry said.
Funeral of Ali Khamenei and NATO Backing
The military exchanges coincided with the funeral of assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei, whose body was flown from Iraq to Mashhad. Vast crowds, many demanding revenge, attended the funeral. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte backed the US attacks, blaming Iran for ceasefire breaches. Iran has proposed charging fees for security in the Strait, a plan dismissed as a protection racket and likely rejected by Oman. Finding a compromise between Iranian and Omani plans is critical for a diplomatic solution.
