Middle East “ceasefire” falters: Large-scale US strikes in Iran, which retaliated with attacks on bases in three countries / The new announcement on Hormuz

The night from Wednesday to Thursday was the second in a row of large-scale reciprocal attacks, after the US struck several facilities in Iran and Tehran's forces announced retaliation against US bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, according to AFP and Reuters.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Thursday morning that it fired 12 ballistic missiles at a US command center in Jordan in response to US strikes against Iran.

This “punitive operation against the aggressor” targeted “Al-Azraq air base and its control center with the help of 12 ballistic missiles,” the IRGC said, claiming they destroyed those facilities “and a large number of fighter jets,” according to Iran's Tasnim news agency.

The United States carried out new bombings at dawn on Thursday against Iran, which initially announced retaliation against military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain and threatened to target all ships venturing into the Strait of Hormuz.

The attacks, which the US military said targeted “Iranian military surveillance facilities, communications systems and air defense sites across the country”, were launched after Donald Trump accused Tehran of delaying peace talks, so “now they will have to pay the price”.

“We were really close to making a deal, but they don't stop screwing us, they don't care about us,” the US president told reporters on Wednesday.

“If we have to negotiate with bombs, we will negotiate with bombs”

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accused Iran of “playing cat and mouse” in the negotiations.

“If we have to negotiate with bombs, we're going to negotiate with bombs, and we're very good at it,” he threatened.

The United States and Iran continued to attack each other overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, despite a cease-fire that took effect on April 8 after more than five weeks of bombing. Trump told the press during Wednesday at the White House: “We attacked them very hard yesterday, we are resuming the bombing. (…) We will attack them, we will attack them very hard.”

Early Thursday morning, explosions were heard on Qeshm Island, at Minab, Sirik and the port of Bandar Abbas in the south of the country, according to Iranian media.

In retaliation for the latest US strikes, the Revolutionary Guards said they launched drones at the Ali al-Salem and Ahmad al-Jaber military bases in Kuwait and the Sheikh Isa air base in Bahrain. Iranian media had previously announced an attack on the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain.

Air raid sirens have been sounded in Bahrain, according to the Ministry of Interior. In Kuwait, the military said it was “combating hostile aerial targets” and the civil aviation authority closed the emirate's airspace.

The Revolutionary Guards also claimed to have fired 12 ballistic missiles against the Al-Azrak base in Jordan, used by the United States.

Anyone who approaches Hormuz, “considered a collaborator with the enemy”

Tehran has also warned that its forces will attack any ship that tries to cross the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

“As a result of repeated ceasefire violations by the American enemy, the Strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice,” the IRGC announced, according to Iranian state television.

“No ship should leave its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of ​​Oman. Any approach to the Strait of Hormuz will be considered collaboration with the enemy,” they warned.

Following this announcement, the Iranian navy announced that “two ships attempting to illegally cross the Strait of Hormuz were hit,” without providing further details.

“Are you making the sacred Strait of Hormuz dangerous?! We will turn this region into a hell for you,” threatened Revolutionary Guards aviation commander Sardar Mousavi.

Washington, which in turn imposes a blockade on Iranian ports, has denied any blockade of the strait.

“Merchant vessels continue to transit the Strait of Hormuz this evening,” the US military's Middle East Command (Centcom) said on X.

This worsening situation in the Gulf continues to fuel the rise in oil prices. On Thursday morning, North Sea Brent rose 1.7% to $94.68, and US WTI rose 2% to $91.84.