The fragile peace agreement between the United States and Iran, signed less than two weeks ago, continues to show signs of strain. The tension escalated over the weekend as both sides traded strikes, targeting military infrastructure on Saturday and Sunday.
Tensions rose further as the U.S. bombed Iran for a second day late Saturday, followed by Tehran's retaliatory attacks on U.S. forces in Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted U.S. military sites at the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the U.S. navy's Fifth Fleet naval base in Salman Port, Bahrain.
Kuwait's military intercepted Iranian drones and two ballistic missiles, while Bahrain's Interior Ministry reported that strikes hit a residential building near the airport, with no reported deaths. The tit-for-tat attacks began on Thursday, with Tehran striking a Singapore-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Washington to hit Iran the following day.
The 14-point memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. and Iran called for both sides to extend a pause on all hostilities for 60 days and restore unrestricted shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for commercial vessels carrying 20% of the world's oil supply. However, both sides have accused the other of breaching the ceasefire agreement.
Persian Gulf states have condemned Iran's attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain, calling them a "flagrant violation" of sovereignty and a direct threat to security and stability. Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the attacks as a "clear violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations."
Bahrain's Foreign Ministry echoed Kuwait's sentiment, describing the attacks as a "flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents." Neighbouring countries, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Oman, also condemned the attacks.
The U.S. military has maintained that its strikes targeted military infrastructure, while the IRGC claimed that the agreement gives Iran control of the shipping traffic of the strait. The IRGC also warned that further U.S. strikes would result in the complete halt of all diplomatic processes.
U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Iran of violating the ceasefire agreement and threatened more military action. "There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started," Trump wrote.
The situation in the Persian Gulf remains volatile, with commercial vessels continuing to transit through the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military remains vigilant and ready to respond to any further threats.
