Ceasefire in Jeopardy as US Strikes Iran Again

The United States has again struck Iran in response to an incident the previous day when a cargo ship was hit by a drone from Tehran. On Friday, US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said it had issued a forceful response to the drone attack. “US aircraft struck Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar sites,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “Iran’s dangerous behaviour undermines freedom of navigation as commerce increasingly flows through vital international trade corridors.” The US strikes were reported to have occurred near the port of Sirik in southern Iran following the announcement. Afterwards, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had retaliated with attacks on US military installations in the region. In a statement to the government news agency IRNA, the IRGC warned that if repeated aggression occurs, Iran’s response will be more extensive. The exchange of fire raises questions about whether the 17 June memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the US and Iran will remain in effect. Each side has accused the other of violating the agreement, which includes a ceasefire.