Trump declares Iran ceasefire 'over' as Strait of Hormuz tensions escalate
U.S. President Donald Trump said the ceasefire between the United States and Iran is effectively over after renewed overnight military strikes and escalating attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
Asked whether negotiations could resume, Trump replied: "I don't care, they can talk. But I think they're wasting their time."
The latest escalation followed U.S. strikes on southern Iran, which Washington said were launched in response to attacks on three oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had retaliated by targeting 85 U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait, describing the American operation as a "ceasefire violation."
The exchange of strikes also affected regional security, with Kuwait reporting missile and drone attacks, while missile warning sirens sounded in Bahrain.
Meanwhile, International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez urged ships to avoid transiting the Strait of Hormuz because of the "volatile" security situation.
The renewed hostilities pushed global oil prices up about 3%, reaching their highest level in two weeks.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the United States launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on military targets in southern Iran, saying the operation was carried out in retaliation for attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.