What just a few weeks ago appeared to be the start of a peace agreement has instead escalated into a rapidly worsening conflict. After negotiations were suspended, the United States and Iran have now launched new attacks against each other for the second night in a row.
Late Wednesday evening, the American military command, Centcom, announced that a new operation against targets in Iran had commenced. For several hours, around 90 military facilities were reportedly attacked. Explosions were reported in locations including Bandar Abbas, Kanarak, and Chabahar.
According to U.S. sources, the attacks targeted, among other things, air defense facilities and important military infrastructure. Several media outlets, including Axios, also reported that two railway bridges had been hit.
Shortly thereafter, Kuwait and Bahrain reported that Iranian drones and missiles had been detected heading toward their territories. Qatar also activated air raid alarms after warnings of possible attacks.
READ ALSO: Here is Trump’s agreement with Iran – 14 points
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard stated that several American targets in the region were attacked, including Patriot air defense in Kuwait, a satellite facility in Qatar, and an American fuel depot in Bahrain.
U.S. President Donald Trump published several posts on Truth Social during the night with videos and images purportedly showing fires and explosions following U.S. attacks on Iran.
Iran: “Strike, and you’ll get retaliation”
The president described the attacks as a response to previous Iranian assaults on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. He further warned of additional military operations if Iran continues its attacks.
Trump also told reporters aboard Air Force One that Iranian representatives had reached out to the U.S. to discuss a possible agreement, though no confirmation has come from the Iranian side.
Iran’s speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, issued sharp criticism toward the U.S. in a post on X. He argued that Washington underestimates the consequences of its military strikes and warned of continued countermeasures.
He also emphasized that, according to Iran, the future of the Strait of Hormuz can only be decided through negotiations, not military threats.
Oil Prices Rise
The increased turmoil in the Middle East also affected the energy market. Oil prices rose during Thursday’s trade in Asia, approaching the levels seen before the U.S. and Iran earlier this summer announced a ceasefire agreement.
The current escalation comes just weeks after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a ceasefire intended as a first step toward a more long-term peace solution.
Both sides now accuse each other of having broken the agreement. In an earlier appearance, Trump also said he no longer saw an opportunity for a new deal with Iran and indicated that the U.S. is prepared to continue military operations if the situation worsens.
– They are madmen. They are led by sick people, and they are ruthless, violent people. And if they had a nuclear weapon, they would use it. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over, Trump said on Wednesday.
READ ALSO: Trump: The Iran Deal is Over – ‘They Are Liars – They Are Crazy’
See Trump’s press conference on Air Force One: