Ammon News - The US military launched new strikes against Iran early Wednesday, hours after three merchant ships were struck in the Strait of Hormuz, in the latest exchange of fire to threaten the interim deal to end the fighting between the two countries.

The renewed attacks were sure to add to the difficulty of the negotiations aimed at fully reopening the strait, rolling back Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme and reaching a permanent end to the war launched on February 28.

In a statement posted to social media, US Central Command said American forces launched the strikes “to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway”.

“Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,” the command said in its statement.

Later, the US Central Command said on Tuesday that it had struck more than 80 targets during its latest strikes on Iran.

"US forces struck Iranian air defence systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the Strait (of Hormuz) to degrade Iran's ability to continue attacking international commerce flowing through the international trade corridor," it said in a statement.

The US military said its latest strikes against Iran were over after hitting more than 80 targets, warning Tehran it would hold it "accountable" over what it called further violations of the interim deal between the two countries.

US Central Command made the announcement in a social media post.

The US military remains "postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable when the agreement is not adhered to or obeyed," it added.


AFP