Dubai, July 10 -- The United States launched fresh airstrikes on Iran early Thursday, prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile attacks targeting US-allied countries across the Middle East, escalating tensions and putting a fragile ceasefire under renewed strain. The latest exchange followed similar attacks a day earlier that had already threatened the truce. Thursday's escalation was broader, with air raid sirens sounding at least three times in Bahrain, home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters. Iran also launched missiles towards Kuwait and Qatar. Sirens were also heard across Jordan on Thursday afternoon, where the United States maintains troops and military aircraft
Despite two days of clashes that threatened to derail an already fragile ceasefire, technical talks between the US and Iran are continuing, a US official said. The comments are likely to calm fears of a return to full-scale conflict after the US carried out fresh strikes on Iranian targets in retaliation for what it said were attacks by Tehran on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded by targeting US military bases in the region on each of the past two nights. Amid the renewed violence, Trump said on Wednesday that the ceasefire was "over," but added that he would not prevent negotiations from moving forward. Talks between the US and Iran were postponed this week as the Islamic Republic observed several days of funeral rites for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike on the opening day of the US-Israeli military campaign.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.