BAGHDAD—The United States and Iran exchanged further military strikes over the weekend despite a recently declared interim ceasefire, with both sides accusing each other of violations and the fragile agreement showing continued strain after several days of hostilities in the Gulf region.
The latest escalation followed a series of strikes and counterstrikes tied to attacks on commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route. The ceasefire, agreed earlier this month to pause a four-month conflict, has come under repeated pressure as both Washington and Tehran continue military operations in response to maritime incidents.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out additional strikes on Iranian military infrastructure on Saturday, targeting surveillance systems, drone storage facilities, and coastal radar sites. The Pentagon said the action was in response to what it described as Iranian attacks on commercial vessels, including a drone strike on a tanker transiting near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded with missile and drone attacks against what it described as U.S.-linked positions in Bahrain and Kuwait. Iranian officials said the strikes were a response to U.S. military action and alleged violations of the ceasefire agreement.
A U.S. administration official, speaking in public remarks cited by American media, said the strikes were necessary after what it described as continued Iranian aggression against shipping and repeated breaches of ceasefire terms. The official added that the United States remained committed to preventing further attacks on commercial maritime traffic, according to those reports.
Iranian state media quoted IRGC officials as warning that continued U.S. military action could halt diplomatic engagement. The IRGC said the United States had violated the ceasefire framework and described its response as defensive in nature, according to Iranian media broadcasts cited by regional outlets.
The ceasefire agreement, announced earlier this month after months of conflict, was intended to halt direct military engagement and stabilize shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz. However, both sides have accused each other of undermining the deal, particularly following repeated attacks on commercial vessels in the region.
Separately, regional governments in Bahrain and Kuwait condemned the Iranian strikes on their territories and reported that defensive systems intercepted incoming projectiles. Both countries host U.S. military installations, though officials have not publicly detailed the extent of any damage or casualties.
As of Sunday, neither Washington nor Tehran had announced any new diplomatic breakthrough or confirmed talks aimed at reinforcing the ceasefire. Military activity in the Gulf continued to be reported by both sides, with each blaming the other for renewed escalation.
