Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed on Sunday that it launched ballistic missiles and drones at the US Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait and the US Fifth Naval Fleet base in Bahrain. The attacks were in retaliation for US strikes on five Iranian targets the previous day.
Bahrain condemned the attacks, calling them a violation of its sovereignty and a blow to regional stability. Kuwait described the Iranian aggression as a 'flagrant violation' of its sovereignty.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it conducted strikes on 10 Iranian military targets near Sirik, Bandar-e Lengeh, and Qeshm Island on Saturday night. The strikes were a response to an Iranian drone attack on the Panama-flagged oil tanker Kiku, which was carrying over two million barrels of crude oil near the Strait of Hormuz.
The UKMTO maritime agency reported that the tanker sustained damage to its bridge but all crew were safe. The weekend attacks followed a US strike on Iran on Friday after a drone hit the Singapore-registered container ship Ever Lovely on Thursday.
Iran has warned that vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz must use designated routes, and any deviation would violate the ceasefire agreement. The International Maritime Organization suspended plans to evacuate stranded ships after the attack on the Ever Lovely.
President Donald Trump accused Tehran of violating the June 17 ceasefire, posting on social media: 'There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable... If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!'
Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the US strikes as a violation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the UN Charter. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains under Iran's control for 30 days and warned against any interference.
The MoU, signed on June 17, extended a 60-day ceasefire and included provisions for Iran to ensure safe passage of commercial vessels through the strait. Analyst Wolfgang Pusztai warned of the risk of unintended escalation if civilian casualties occur.
Source: www.aljazeera.com