US Strikes Iranian Military Sites After Tanker Attack, Trump Warns Iran

The United States military launched strikes on multiple targets in Iran early Sunday, acting on orders from President Donald Trump. The attacks targeted Iranian surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defence sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities, according to US Central Command.

The strikes came in response to an Iranian attack on a merchant vessel early Saturday morning. The oil tanker 'Kiku', carrying over two million barrels of crude oil, was hit by a one-way drone while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. The ship had left a Qatari oil field and was bound for a port in the United Arab Emirates, using an alternative route near the coast of Oman, bypassing the Iranian-sanctioned path.

In a social media post, President Trump said the US had struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the ceasefire agreement. He warned that the US may eventually be forced to 'militarily complete the job', adding that if that happens, 'the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist'.

The incident is part of an ongoing cycle of attacks and retaliation. Just days earlier, an Iranian drone struck a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman, prompting US retaliatory strikes. The US military stated that Iran had a chance to honour the ceasefire but chose not to when its forces attacked the 'Kiku'.

The multinational maritime body overseen by the US Navy announced it would expand the Omani route to allow for both inbound and outbound traffic, potentially creating a new flashpoint with Tehran, which views the strait as leverage in negotiations.

Iran state TV reported explosions in an area north of the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes underscore the fragility of the interim ceasefire between the US and Iran, raising concerns that the conflict could spiral out of control again.