Iran launched missile and drone attacks against several United States\n(US) interests in the Middle East on Wednesday (2\/9), in retaliation\nafter the US struck Iranian military targets. This latest escalation\nexpands a conflict that has persisted for over six months and involves\nseveral of Washington\u2019s allies in the region.<\/p>\n
Iranian media reported that Tehran launched ballistic missiles at two\nUS bases in Jordan. The Jordanian military stated it had intercepted 10\nmissiles fired from Iran, while three others landed in remote,\nuninhabited areas. There have been no official reports of casualties or\ndamage from these strikes.<\/p>\n
Iranian attacks were also reported in Kuwait and Bahrain. The Iranian\nmilitary stated that its drones targeted US forces at an airbase in\nBahrain. Kuwait stated its air defence systems intercepted drone\nattacks, while Bahrain reported that all attacks were successfully\nintercepted.<\/p>\n
The escalation follows US strikes on several targets in Iran on\nTuesday (1\/9), following previous attacks on Sunday (30\/8). US Central\nCommand (CENTCOM) stated the latest strikes targeted Iranian air defence\nsystems, radar, rocket launchers, and maritime assets.<\/p>\n
Washington stated that Sunday\u2019s strikes were aimed at rocket\nlaunchers on Larak Island to prevent Iran from deploying sea mines in\nthe Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes.<\/p>\n
US President Donald Trump warned Iran that retaliatory strikes would\nbe even more severe. \u201cThey will be attacked again at a much harder and\nhigher level,\u201d Trump wrote on social media.<\/p>\n
Iran claimed the US attacks killed civilians. Iranian state media\nreported that a house in Kuhestak, which was the site of a wedding\ncelebration, was hit. The Deputy Governor of Hormozgan, Ahmad Nafisi,\nstated that five people, including a child, were killed and at least 68\nothers were injured.<\/p>\n
CENTCOM stated it was aware of the reports but noted they originated\nfrom Iranian state media. CENTCOM spokesperson Tim Hawkins said, \u201cThe US\nmilitary never targets civilians, unlike the IRGC.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iranian Revolutionary Guard spokesperson Hossein Mohebi warned\nWashington that \u201csevere punishment awaits the aggressors.\u201d Meanwhile,\nEbrahim Zolfaghari warned that countries assisting the US would face a\n\u201charder, wider, and more devastating response.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump refuses to force Iran back to the negotiating table<\/p>\n
On Tuesday evening (1\/9), Trump stated he had no intention of forcing\nIran back to the negotiating table.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care if they sign a deal that is meaningless to them. I much\nprefer our current position, with almost full control over the Strait of\nHormuz and their economy completely collapsing,\u201d Trump wrote.<\/p>\n
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that Washington would\ncontinue to apply economic pressure. \u201cWe will continue to apply\npressure,\u201d he said during a G20 meeting in North Carolina.<\/p>\n
However, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian previously stated that\nTehran remains open to diplomacy. On Tuesday, he said Iran was prepared\nto return to a temporary ceasefire agreement if the US also fulfilled\nits commitments.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the US returns to its commitments in the memorandum of\nunderstanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately do the\nsame,\u201d said Pezeshkian.<\/p>\n
A day earlier, Pezeshkian stated that continuing the war was not in\nthe interest of Iran or the region. \u201cThe solution to the existing\nproblems is dialogue and cooperation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also called for the US to\nhonour its commitments. \u201cThe solution is entirely clear and simple: the\nUnited States must return to its commitments,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint<\/p>\n
The exchange of attacks occurs while both nations remain in dispute\nover control of the Strait of Malaysia. Iran maintains an effective\nclosure of the shipping lane, while the US conducts a counter-blockade\nagainst Iranian ports.<\/p>\n
Before the war, approximately one-fifth of the world\u2019s oil supply\npassed through the strait. The recent conflict has driven up oil prices\nand increased pressure on global markets.<\/p>\n
Crude oil prices have risen by approximately 7 per cent this week\nfollowing the renewed clashes, while overall crude oil prices have\nincreased by more than 50 per cent throughout the year. In the US, the\naverage price for regular petrol reached $4.10 per gallon, compared to\n$3.19 during the same period last year.<\/p>\n
Washington claims to have control over the Strait of Hormuz and\nstated last week that it had completed explosive clearance in the lane.\nIran maintains that it controls the shipping route.<\/p>\n
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard previously claimed an oil tanker\ncaught fire after hitting two mines while passing through what it termed\nan illegal route. The US military denied the claim as disinformation,\nstating, \u201cNo ship has hit mines in the Strait of Hormuz.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Greek maritime risk management company Maersk reported\nthat two crude oil tankers were hit by \u201cunknown projectiles\u201d on Monday\nnight. The UK Maritime Trade Operations noted one of the incidents,\nstating that no casualties or environmental impacts were reported.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-iran-exchanges-attacks-gulf-nations-also-affected-1788340215", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }