U.S. launches fresh Iran strikes as Trump threatens to "complete the job"
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Tankers preparing to enter the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: Shady Alassar/Anadolu via Getty Images
The U.S. military conducted fresh strikes on Iranian targets in retaliation for an attack Saturday morning on a commercial tanker, as President Trump threatened the possibility of restarting the war.
Why it matters: The second wave of U.S. strikes in Iran over the last 24 hours comes amid increasing tensions in the strait —and could put the shaky U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding at risk.
The latest: Iran responded to the U.S. strikes with drone and missile attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, according to the Kuwaiti army and Bahrain's interior ministry.
- Local media quoted the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps threatening more forceful attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and raising the prospect of the peace process coming to a halt.
Driving the news: Earlier Saturday the IRGC launched an attack drone at the M/T Kiku tanker, which was passing in the Strait of Hormuz with more than two million barrels of crude oil, CENTCOM said.
- The incident happened several hours after the U.S. conducted strikes on Iranian targets in retaliation for another attack on a commercial ship on Thursday.
- The Iranians retaliated to the first wave of U.S. strikes by attacking targets in Bahrain early Saturday, in addition to the tanker strike.
State of play: CENTCOM said in a statement that U.S. aircraft targeted Iranian military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities.
What they're saying: Trump, in a Truth Social post Saturday night, confirmed the strikes and threatened more.
- "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," he wrote.
- "If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!"
Flashback: It was just 10 days ago that the U.S. and Iran signed the deal to end the war and start diplomatic talks.
- The next day, Trump told "The Axios Show" that the deal represented an "unconditional surrender" by the Iranians.
- Tensions have steadily ramped since then, though.
This is a developing story.
