Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced fresh American air strikes on Iranian military targets, accusing Tehran of violating a ceasefire agreement by attacking a commercial oil tanker near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), the latest strikes were ordered after an Iranian one-way attack drone allegedly struck the Panama-flagged oil tanker M/T Kiku at around 4:30 a.m. ET. The vessel was reportedly carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil while transiting through the region.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said US aircraft targeted Iranian missile and drone storage facilities, as well as coastal radar installations.
“United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the ceasefire agreement again,” Trump wrote, adding that Iran appeared unwilling to change its behaviour despite repeated warnings.
The US President also issued a strong warning to Tehran, stating that continued attacks could lead to a much broader military response.
“There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist,” Trump said.
CENTCOM stated that Iran had been given an opportunity to comply with the ceasefire following US retaliatory strikes conducted a day earlier in response to an alleged attack on the commercial vessel M/V Ever Lovely. However, US officials claim Iran chose to escalate tensions by launching another drone attack against commercial shipping.
The military command said the latest operation was carried out in direct response to what it described as continued Iranian aggression in the Gulf region. Targets reportedly included surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defence installations, drone storage sites and maritime minelayer capabilities.
The developments mark a significant escalation in tensions between Washington and Tehran and have renewed concerns about the security of international shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy transit corridors.
