Iran steps up attacks in Persian Gulf after new US strikes

US and Iranian forces exchanged powerful missile and drone strikes over the weekend and into Monday, further escalating hostilities, Reuters reported on Monday, July 13.

Iran's IRGC said it had struck US military infrastructure in Juffair, Bahrain, and destroyed long-range aerial surveillance (FPS) and maritime radar installations in Oman in the fifth round of related attacks. At the same time, the US said it had launched new strikes on Iran to prevent it from attacking commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump accused Iran of disrupting the peace deal.

"We had a deal. It was a done deal, and then they broke it. We're just going to hit them very hard," Trump said.

For its part, Iran accused the US of being the first to break the deal and said it would not abide by its terms until the US did. The Iranian military command said it would not allow the United States to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on July 10, US President Donald Trump said that Iran had asked to continue negotiations, and the US agreed, but the June ceasefire "is over."