Fresh waves of attacks from the US military forces against southern parts of Iran have become the new trigger that would escalate the tension between the two countries. The military assaults were triggered by the accusation by the US that Iran had attacked commercial ships sailing through the critically vital Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the busiest routes for oil shipping in the world.
The US armed forces admitted that it has conducted what it termed as a “series of strong strikes” against targets in the southern part of Iran on 7 July. According to CENTCOM (US Central Command), this attack had been initiated following Iranian strikes on three commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Washington viewed the attack against these vessels as a violation of its ceasefire agreement and a menace for maritime security worldwide.
The US officials believed that these attacks jeopardized global trade and maritime security and assured that the US would continue to defend the right to navigate in the Gulf. Even the Biden administration’s successor during the Trump presidency said that future attacks on merchant ships would result in more military strikes if needed.
Though US officials did not give a full list of these targets at once, explosions were reported in the southern coastline area of Sirik in Hormozgan Province, Iran. In addition, there were reports that people have heard some explosions in the vicinity, while some videos on the social media showed smoke rising from various places.
Tehran Responds with Strikes on US Military Bases
The tension reached a new level when launched retaliatory strikes for the American military actions by firing missiles and drones against the US military installations in the Gulf area, not long after the American attacks in southern Iran. The state-run news agency of Iran claimed that the military strikes were a response to “American aggression.”
While confirming the attack on several US military installations, US defense officials pointed out that many of those weapons were brought down by the American and allied air defense system. It was too early to ascertain whether there was any damage to the installation and casualty figures could not be determined as yet.
Iran’s leadership stressed that the attack was meant to show that any future attack against Iranian soil will have military action as its response. Iranian authorities stated that the US would face retaliation for any future move. After the strikes were made, all of the American military facilities in the Middle East received orders to be put on high alert status, while some of the states from the Gulf Region initiated emergency security measures.
Trump’s Response: ‘The Ceasefire Is Over’
Speaking ahead of the NATO summit on 8 July, US President Donald Trump declared that the interim ceasefire agreement with Iran was “over”, saying Tehran had failed to honour its commitments under the deal. The ceasefire, brokered earlier this year to reduce hostilities and facilitate negotiations, collapsed following renewed attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and the latest US military strikes.
“The memorandum of understanding with Iran is over,” Trump said, adding that the agreement had failed to deliver peace or security in the region. He also expressed deep frustration with Iranian leaders, describing further negotiations as “a waste of time” unless Tehran fundamentally changed its behaviour. Trump defended the military operations conducted by the U.S., stating that the operations were conducted in order to ensure the safety of international shipping and in retaliation of attacks on commercial ships. Trump threatened that the United States would be ready to conduct further military operations if the threat on marine security or the interests of the Americans in the Gulf persists.
Moreover, the president of the United States announced stricter economic sanctions for Iran. It should be mentioned that the license which allowed Iran to export some oil products was revoked.
The international community has called on both the United States and Iran to prevent any more escalations. Despite the ongoing diplomatic attempts to de-escalate the tensions, it appears that military interventions have been replacing diplomatic talks.
According to security analysts, more exchanges between the two nations will definitely lead to instability in the entire Middle Eastern region, as well as other nations joining the conflict.
This is a developing story.
Sources: Al Jazeera, and Reuters.
