US and Iran exchange strikes as ceasefire hangs in balance

The United States launched overnight strikes on roughly 20 sites in Iran, targeting surveillance, communications and air-defence facilities, according to Central Command. The attacks were described by the Pentagon as a self-defence response to what it called Iranian aggression.

Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the raids, saying they violated the ceasefire that has been in place since early April and rendered it “practically meaningless.” The ministry placed responsibility for the consequences on U.S. leaders.

In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it hit U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, while missiles were also reported over Jordan, prompting a “shelter-in-place” warning from the U.S. embassy in Amman. Kuwait temporarily closed its airspace after Iranian attacks but later reopened it to commercial traffic.

The conflict has also affected commercial shipping. Iran claimed the Strait of Hormuz was completely closed, warning that any vessel attempting passage would be attacked. The U.S. denied the claim, stating that commercial ships continued to transit the waterway.

Three people were injured in Tehran province during the U.S. strikes, according to local media. Separate U.S. action off the Omani coast resulted in the deaths of three Indian seafarers aboard the MT Settebello, leading India to summon a senior U.S. diplomat to protest.

Germany’s chancellor said his country remains ready to join a future naval mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities cease, emphasizing a continued diplomatic approach.

The latest escalation follows President Donald Trump’s warning that Iran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations, a statement that preceded the U.S. strikes.