Iran calls US launching ‘self-dense’ strikes a ‘gross violation’ of ceasefire
Rubio says Strait of Hormuz ‘will be open one way or another’ as US launches new strikes on Iranian naval base
Iran accused the United States of violating a fragile seven-week ceasefire agreement after the US conducted what it described as defensive strikes in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province.
The US Central Command (Centcom) stated its strikes targeted missile launch sites and boats attempting to lay mines, following reports of explosions in the region early on Tuesday.
In response, Iran claimed its forces opened fire on a US fighter jet and a drone within Iranian airspace, asserting that they successfully shot down an American MQ-9 drone.
The incident occurred despite both nations previously indicating progress on a memorandum of understanding aimed at halting the conflict and reopening shipping routes through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, with further negotiations planned for complex issues like Iran’s nuclear program.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, declared on his Telegram channel that ‘The clock cannot be turned back, and the nations and lands of the region will no longer be a shield for American bases,’ signaling a hardening stance.
