US Strikes 90 Iranian Military Sites as Trump Declares Ceasefire ‘Over’
The United States and Iran have entered a second day of direct military strikes, with Washington targeting around 90 Iranian military sites after President Donald Trump declared the interim ceasefire "over." [191789][191756]
The U.S. military confirmed it struck approximately 90 military sites inside Iran, marking a major escalation in the ongoing conflict. [191789] The operation followed Trump’s declaration that the June 17 ceasefire agreement was "finished," made during a NATO summit in Ankara. [191654] The strikes came after Iran attacked three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, which Washington said was a violation of the truce. [191655][191654]
In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it attacked 85 military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait, including the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet base at Port Salman in Bahrain and the Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait. [191655] The Guard also claimed to have shot down an MQ-9 drone. [191655] Iran’s health ministry reported that two days of U.S. attacks have killed at least 14 people and injured more than 70. [191756]
The fighting has spread to the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes daily. [191655][191777] A liquefied natural gas tanker caught fire after being hit by a projectile in the strait. [191571] Explosions were also reported in Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. [191777]
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte defended the U.S. strikes as "absolutely necessary," saying Iran violated the ceasefire. [191655][191654] Trump said he was open to continued negotiations but called the Iranian leadership "trash" and "sick people." [191654] The escalation has threatened fragile diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran, which had been working on a broader agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions. [191655]