Fragile US-Iran truce on brink as Iran strikes Kuwait, Bahrain bases after fresh US attacks

New Delhi: The situation in the Gulf deteriorated further after the US, on President Donald Trump’s orders, launched a second round of airstrikes on Sunday. Iran responded with strikes of its own, hitting US military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait – the first such retaliation since the signing of the peace deal.

The resumption of attacks has raised questions over the interim peace agreement signed just two weeks earlier, with both sides accusing each other of violating its terms.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US had “struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN!” He warned that there may come a point where the US is “no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job.” He added, “If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!”

US Central Command said it struck Iranian military “surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities and minelayer capabilities” after an attack on a tanker at sea early Saturday morning. That vessel – the Panamanian-flagged tanker Kiku – was carrying crude oil for Qatar’s state-run energy company, a key negotiator between Iran and the US.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the missile and drone attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain were carried out in response to the fresh US strikes inside Iran. The group accused Washington of breaching the ceasefire understanding and warned that continued military action would bring diplomatic efforts to a “complete halt.” It added that American military bases in the region would face further attacks if the conflict continued.

The US had launched the strikes after the Kiku was hit by an Iranian drone on Saturday, with Washington saying the operation was meant to protect commercial shipping in the region. Iranian state media reported explosions near Sirik in southern Iran following the attack.

Iran rejected the US explanation, saying the strikes violated the interim agreement. Tehran’s military also said the attacks would not weaken its control over the Strait of Hormuz, warning that ships using routes not approved by Iran could face action.

The regional tensions also extended to Lebanon. Israel carried out fresh strikes on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, saying it had killed militants and destroyed a rocket launcher in the Nabatieh area. Iran accused the US of failing to maintain calm in Lebanon under the broader peace understanding, while Israel has continued operations against Hezbollah despite repeated ceasefire efforts.

With military action continuing across the Gulf and Lebanon, the temporary agreement between Washington and Tehran appears increasingly fragile. Diplomatic talks remain uncertain as both sides continue to trade strikes and accusations of violating the deal.