US reinstates naval blockade on Iran, heightening tensions. Iran labels peace agreement void following US assaults. Trump asserts attacks will persist, sanctions enforced.
US President Donald Trump declared that assaults on Iran would persist until he chooses to halt them, and stated that he would “save the energy targets for last.” He also confirmed a reversal of his previous proposal to impose a 20 percent tariff on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, citing widespread economic concerns, adding that Gulf nations would invest in the US instead. Despite the ongoing offensive, Trump informed Fox News that talks between Washington and Tehran occurred on Tuesday, even as American strikes continued in Iran.
US Central Command accused Iran of putting regional civilians at risk after strikes on seven commercial ships in the Gulf. Kuwait’s Defence Ministry reported that Iranian attacks had targeted a Kuwaiti naval vessel, resulting in four injuries, while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have destroyed US weapons stationed in both Kuwait and Bahrain.
To further pressure Tehran, the US Treasury Department has introduced new sanctions against Iran, focusing on various individuals, entities, and vessels associated with the country.
All these developments signify one of the most turbulent phases of the conflict to date. The breakdown of the interim agreement, combined with strikes affecting Gulf allies’ military assets, has heightened fears of a broader regional spillover involving Kuwait, Bahrain, and other Gulf states caught amid the two conflicting sides.
Stay tuned for more updates from West Asia.
