Renewed US-Iran strikes: Is a major war looming?

Tehran and Washington have been exchanging regular attacks for nearly two weeks after a negotiated settlement attempt failed The US and Iran have been exchanging regular strikes for nearly two weeks following the collapse of a fragile ceasefire deal reached in spring. Both sides have accused each other of violating the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) – an agreement signed last month that was expected to serve as a roadmap for the final settlement. Washington and Tehran particularly clashed over the fate of the Strait of Hormuz – a key route for global oil shipments. Iran maintains it should define the rules for the ships passing through the strait under the MoU while the US demands the Islamic Republic fully “reopen” it to international navigation. Neither side has since demonstrated any signs of backing down as both Washington and Tehran have fallen back into escalatory rhetoric, with exchanges of fire continuing on a daily basis. Deal violation The latest outbreak of hostilities between the US and Iran began on July 7, when Washington announced a new round of “powerful strikes” targeting the Islamic Republic. The US said that the strikes followed Iranian attacks on three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. While Tehran has not officially accepted responsibility for it, Iranian media reported that one of the vessels was struck after “ignoring repeated warnings.” Read more US resumes ‘powerful strikes’ on Iran after tanker attacks (VIDEOS) Tehran also repeatedly stated that traffic through the strategic waterway should be conducted strictly through the routes officially designated by Iran, while calling what it called a US-backed route along the Omani coast “illegal.” Following the tanker incidents, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces struck more than 80 targets in Iran in response to a “clear violation of the ceasefire.” The Iranian Foreign Ministry called the move an MoU violation, with the nation’s military vowing a “decisive response.” Iranian media then reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the military launched missiles and drones at 85 “key US military facilities” across the Middle East.

Ceasefire ‘is over’ Shortly after the strikes began, US President Donald Trump declared the April ceasefire with Iran “over” and called the Iranian leadership “scum.” On July 13, he told Congress that he had resumed “limited defensive strikes,” while the US military reported daily attacks on dozens of Iranian targets. Read more Trump tells Congress that Iran war is back on The White House reportedly claimed the move gave Trump a new 60-day window to continue operations without seeking Congressional consent. He later threatened to expand attacks on civilian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, if Tehran refused US demands – a threat that was acted on within days. Trump also claimed the US would “take over” the Strait of Hormuz and charge vessels for passage, declared himself Tehran’s “number one target,” and threatened to “completely decimate” Iran if it targeted him. ‘Keep your word or pay the price’ Tehran condemned “the aggressive attacks carried out by the US terrorist army” under a “false pretext,” while Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed “severe punishment” for the strikes. Top negotiator Mohammad Ghalibaf said Washington would pay the price for not honoring its MoU commitments. “The era of one-sided deals is over,” he said, adding that “reality is knocking." Read more Iran warns ‘entire region will pay the price’ as US bombs bridges (PHOTOS, VIDEOS) In a July 13 state