Showering Missiles Tear Through US-Iran Peace Deal

Fresh Iran-US strikes intensify the conflict as both sides claim military success, targeting bases, strategic assets and key infrastructure.

By Pranjal Gupta

New Delhi, July 9: Iran and the United States exchanged intense missile strikes after accusing each other of violating the interim deal first. Following a warning issued by US President Donald J. Trump late on Wednesday, American forces claimed to have targeted 90 Iranian military sites, including air defence systems and coastal surveillance assets, marking the second consecutive night of strikes. While Tehran acknowledged the attacks, it launched retaliatory strikes on American military bases in Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain on Thursday morning. Both sides warned of severe consequences if the other failed to halt its attacks.

The latest round of hostilities began after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted three American commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz. According to the IRGC, the vessels had violated Iran's new strategic maritime doctrine, a claim that the United States has rejected from the outset.

The three Gulf countries where Iran claimed to have targeted American military bases condemned the attacks on the vessels. Bahrain accused Tehran of targeting civilians and said it had successfully intercepted Iranian missiles and drones.

Iran-US War: Missile strikes and retaliatory attacks escalate tensions as Iran and the United States exchange fire across multiple strategic locations. (Image Shared by U.S. Central Command, claiming to be from the latest round of attacks on Iran)

14 Dead in Iran, US Keeps Mum on New Attacks

While the United States has not confirmed any attacks on its military bases, Iran's Health Ministry said at least 14 people had been killed and 78 others wounded over the past two days, according to the Associated Press.

Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including Bushehr, home to Iran's nuclear power plant complex, as well as the southern port cities of Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Abbas and Sirik. In Iranshahr, authorities said a strike had killed a firefighter at the city's airport.

For the first time since April, the United States also appeared to have targeted Iranian bridges. State media reported a strike on a railway bridge in Iran's north-eastern Golestan province, while the Revolutionary Guard said two bridges on the route to Mashhad had been hit. Officials are expected to bury the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Mashhad on Thursday.

However, it remains unclear whether the bridge in Golestan was one of the two mentioned by the Revolutionary Guard.

""U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces completed an additional round of strikes against Iran, July 8. US forces struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets, including air defence systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran's coastline. The latest strikes follow the successful execution of offensive operations in Iran the previous night," US Central Command said.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said "The United States has still not learned that bullying and breach of commitments no longer come without a cost".

(With Agency Inputs)