Day 88 | US hits Iran with new strikes, despite ceasefire
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US forces attacked missile sites in southern Iran and boats trying to lay mines on Monday, US Central Command said, imperiling a fragile ceasefire and casting new doubt on a deal to end the Middle East war.
The strikes came as top Iranian negotiators arrived in Doha for the latest round of talks to end the months-long conflict, and as the ‘Israeli’ military stepped up hostilities with Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Oil prices fluctuated in the wake of the US strikes, which may threaten any agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, where an Iranian blockade has choked global fuel supplies.
"US forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces," Tim Hawkins, a US Central Command spokesman, said in a statement.
It gave no details of the attacks and said only that the targets included missile launch sites and boats trying to "emplace mines."
Iran's state-run broadcaster IRIB reported several loud explosions were heard in the vicinity of Bandar Abbas at around midnight local time (2030 GMT Monday).
It added the situation in the southern port city was normal and local authorities were investigating the cause of the blasts.
The strikes threatened a ceasefire that began April 8 as the United States and Iran struggle to reach an accord to end a war that has rattled the global economy with a severe disruption of energy flows.
Oil prices remained below $100 on Tuesday morning, with West Texas Intermediate dropping more than five percent while international benchmark Brent crude was up.
Hopes of an accord took another blow when ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to "crush" Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Iran has demanded that any peace accord apply to the fighting in Lebanon as well.
Trump also said in a social media post he expected Iran to hand over its enriched uranium to the United States to be destroyed, or have it destroyed in Iran with an international witness.
"The Enriched Uranium (Nuclear Dust!) will either be immediately turned over to the United States to be brought home and destroyed or, preferably, in conjunction and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place or, at another acceptable location, with the Atomic Energy Commission, or its equivalent, being witness to this process and event," Trump wrote.
It was not clear whether he meant this would be part of a potential accord with Iran, and the commission he cited was abolished in 1974.
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Read more: Day 89 | Iran accuses US of breaking truce after new strikes
Explosion damages tanker off Oman: marine monitor
An explosion close to the waterline damaged a tanker off Oman, a marine monitor said on Tuesday, as tensions remain high around the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.
"The crew and vessel are safe, although the master reports some bunker fuel has discharged into the sea," UK Maritime Trade Operations said.
'Israeli' military claims overnight attacks on over 100 targets in Lebanon
'Israel’s' military says it carried out attacks on more than 100 targets in Lebanon overnight including in the Bekaa Valley and various parts of southern Lebanon.
Strikes targeted weapons depots, observation posts, and command centres used by Hezbollah, it said.
It also acknowledged carrying out a series of strikes in the Mashghara area where Lebanon’s National News Agency reported at least 12 people killed.
'Israeli' army issues evacuation warning for Nabatieh residents in southern Lebanon
The 'Israeli' military has issued an urgent evacuation warning for residents of the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh.
Iran Guards say 'downed' US drone entering airspace
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday that they had downed a US drone and shot at other aircraft entering the country's airspace.
US military aircraft "entered Iranian airspace in the Persian Gulf region, and air defence units of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps... identified and shot down an MQ-9 drone," the Guards said in a statement on their Sepah News website.
The Guards forces "also fired upon an RQ-4 drone and an intruding F-35 fighter jet," the statement said, without specifying when the incidents took place.
Iran’s supreme leader says US will no longer have ‘safe haven’ in Gulf
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Tuesday that the United States would no longer have “a safe haven” in the Gulf region, warning that regional powers would no longer serve as “a shield” for American military bases.
Khamenei made the remarks in a statement published on his Telegram channel amid ongoing discussions between Tehran and Washington over a framework aimed at ending their three-month-old war.
“Gulf powers will no longer be a shield for American military bases,” Khamenei said, according to the statement. “The United States will no longer have a safe haven in this region.”
Rubio says Hormuz strait will reopen “one way or the other”
Top US diplomat Marco Rubio insisted on Tuesday that the blockaded Strait of Hormuz would reopen "one way or the other", after fresh US strikes on Iran cast doubt on an accord to end the Mideast war.
"The straits have to be open. They're going to be open one way or the other, so they need to be open," Rubio told reporters in the Indian city of Jaipur, where he was making an official visit.
"What's happening there is unlawful, it's illegal, it's unsustainable for the world, it's unacceptable," he said.
Rubio says Iran deal still possible within days despite US strikes
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that a deal with Iran was still possible despite new American strikes that cast doubt on their fragile ceasefire.
"There were some talks going on in Qatar today, so we'll see if we can make progress. I think it's a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document, so it'll take a few days," Rubio told reporters in Jaipur during an official visit to India.
"The president's expressed his desire to make it. He's either going to make a good deal or no deal," he said.
WTI crude price falls over 5% despite new US strikes on Iran
The price of the main US benchmark for oil fell more than five percent on Tuesday, despite US forces launching new strikes on missile sites in southern Iran.
Around 0030 GMT, the price of West Texas Intermediate was down 5.46 percent at $91.33 a barrel.
US and ‘Israel’ carried out attacks on Iranian boats: Fars News Agency
Iranian media said Monday that US and ‘Israeli’ jets attacked Iranian boats south of Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to Fars News Agency citing Iranian state TV.
“Four people were killed in the attack, with the total number of casualties still unclear,” Fars News Agency said.
Iranian state TV says the situation in Bandar Abbas now is “calm and normal”.
The statements come after CENTCOM said it carried out “self-defense strikes” in southern Iran, according to Fox News.
