Iranian military strikes US base in Bahrain, threatens further attacks
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The Iranian military claims that US military bases in the Middle East are "legitimate targets."
According to Mars Finance, on July 8th, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that the Iranian military issued a statement saying that all US military bases in the Middle East would become "legitimate targets" for Iranian drone strikes. The statement said that in light of US attacks on military and civilian areas in southern Iran and violations of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, the Iranian military used drones to strike the US Sheikh Issa Air Base in Bahrain. This action was a response to the US's blatant and repeated violations of the ceasefire.
Iran announces initial response to the US: strikes against 85 key US military facilities.
PANews reported on July 8th that, according to Jinshi News, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement saying that the United States has once again repeated its usual treacherous practices, with its forces launching airstrikes on several coastal bases and civilian facilities in Hormozgan Province and the Maheshahr coastal region in the early hours of today, blatantly violating the ceasefire agreement and trampling on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. In an initial response to this aggression, the IRGC Navy and Aerospace Force conducted a joint missile and drone operation, destroying 85 key US military facilities located in Salman Port, the Bahrain Fifth Fleet base, and the Ali Salim Air Base in Kuwait. Simultaneously, an enemy MQ-9 drone attempting to intervene in the operation was shot down.
The US military claims to have completed a new round of strikes against Iran.
According to a recent statement and video released by the U.S. Odaily Command, the U.S. military launched a new round of offensive strikes against Iran, using precision-guided munitions to hit more than 80 targets, in a "direct response to Iran's recent attacks on merchant ships sailing in the Strait of Hormuz." The statement said that the US military's targets included Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, and anti-ship missile capabilities; in addition, more than 60 small vessels of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were destroyed in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters. This comes after Iran previously attacked three merchant ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz: the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker "Al-Recayat," the Saudi Arabian-flagged oil tanker "Vedian," and the Liberian-flagged oil tanker "Cyprus Prosperity." US Central Command forces remain on high alert, and "the US will hold Iran accountable should it fail to comply with or violate the agreement." (Jin Shi)
Less than 20 days after the ceasefire between the US and Iran, the situation has changed again: the US has intensified its attacks on Iran, revoked oil waivers, and increased the scale of its strikes fivefold.
PANews reported on July 8 that, according to Jinshi News, the United States launched a new round of airstrikes against Iran and revoked a waiver allowing it to sell oil globally. This move further jeopardizes the peace agreement between the two countries following frequent attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Central Command issued a statement on the X platform stating that this "powerful strike" was intended to "impose a heavy price on attacks and harassment of merchant ships carrying innocent civilians in international waters," and that Iran's aggression was "unjustified, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement." According to the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control on July 7, the U.S. revoked a general license authorizing the sale of Iranian oil, with the remaining transactions allowed to continue until midnight Eastern Time on July 17.
The Iranian military issued a strong warning: any attacks during Khamenei's state funeral will be met with "brutal retaliation."
According to Mars Finance, on July 2nd, as Iran prepares for the state funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the military issued a stern warning. Ali Abdourahhi, commander of the Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces at Hatem Anbia, stated, "We warn the United States and Israel not to make any miscalculations. Any threat or aggression will invite brutal retaliation from the Iranian armed forces." Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi also spoke out on social media, urging Trump to "keep his henchmen in Tel Aviv in check." The state funeral arrangements include a procession starting in Tehran on July 4th, followed by burial in Mashhad on July 9th, with commemorative events held in Qom and Iraq. Iran has raised its national security level and implemented temporary airspace controls in several areas. Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf called for large-scale public participation in the funeral, "letting the call for revenge resound throughout the world." Currently, the next round of indirect negotiations between the US and Iran will begin after the funeral, focusing on issues such as the implementation of the ceasefire memorandum, the unfreezing of frozen assets, and the Strait of Hormuz. Sharp disagreements remain between the two sides over freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on February 28, the first day of the war, and his son Mujtaba Khamenei has succeeded him as Supreme Leader.
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General: Iranian attacks undermine regional peace efforts
Odaily Odaily that the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) condemned Iran's attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait, stating that these actions blatantly violated the sovereignty of both countries and continued Tehran's efforts to undermine regional peace. According to a statement released by the Riyadh-based GCC, Secretary-General Abdelaziz Boudewi stated that the attacks directly threatened the safety of citizens and residents and constituted a serious violation of international law and the UN Charter. Boudewi said, "These attacks confirm Iran's consistent strategy of undermining international and regional efforts to build security and peace and resolve crises." (Jin Shi)