Trump says ceasefire with Iran is 'over'
What's the story
United States President Donald Trump has declared that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the war was "over." Speaking ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara, he described further engagement with Tehran as "a waste of time." "I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them," Trump said. "They're scum....led by sick people," he said, alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. "As far as I'm concerned, it's just a waste of time dealing with them."
Escalating tensions
Interim ceasefire agreement signed last month
The interim ceasefire agreement signed last month was meant to provide a 60-day window for negotiations on a permanent agreement. However, indirect talks in Qatar last week ended with no progress, and the US military struck 80 targets in Iran with precision munitions on Tuesday in response to recent attacks on three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The operation, CENTCOM said, was "four or five times bigger in scope and power" than previous strikes conducted 10 days ago.
NATO criticism
Trump calls Iranian leaders 'evil'
Trump said the US struck Iran "very hard" and warned that Washington would respond to any further attacks. "I told them that every time you hit, we hit," the president said, accusing Iran of being "dirty players" and calling its leaders ""evil people." He reiterated that the US objective was the denuclearization of Iran, adding, "We're going to denuke it."
Iran
Iran strikes military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait
Shortly after the US strikes, Iran said it had targeted American military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had targeted 85 US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait, including Salman Port, the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, and Ali Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait. The military also said all US bases across the region would become "legitimate targets" for its drones if Washington continues violating the ceasefire agreement.