A new, severe escalation is taking place in the Persian Gulf after Iran and the US exchanged heavy blows that have had consequences. The Al-Dhafra, Al-Saffran, and Al-Minhad air bases, as well as the military section of the Dubai airport, were targeted. The IRGC, the Revolutionary Guards, in retaliation for US strikes on an Iranian tanker and an IRGC communications tower on Qeshm island, attacked the US-linked ship Panaya, as well as the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet. Attacks also occurred in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Explosions were reported in Erbil, Iraq. Bahrain and Kuwait were also targeted. Trump, in a new statement, emphasized, "I told the Iranians it is time to reach an agreement in any form," accepting the deadlock that the US military has reached in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump: I told the Iranians it is time to reach an agreement in any form... let's work it out
US President Trump wrote on the social network Truth Social, echoing his previous claims: "Talks between us and Iran are continuing. Including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today." Trump continued his claim: "The fake news that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States broke off talks a few days ago is false and wrong." Without referring to his previous contradictory positions and statements, he said:
"No one knows where these talks will end, but as I told Iran, it is time to make a deal with Iran by any means necessary." Iran and the United States have announced that significant progress has been made toward reaching an agreement to end the war, although some issues need further examination for finalization. According to Iran, the memorandum of understanding concerns the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, US confidence-building measures, including the unfreezing of blocked Iranian assets, and the termination of military conflicts on all fronts, after which a new round of talks will begin within a limited timeframe to discuss the nuclear issue.
Vague statements by Rubio regarding the timeline of the agreement with Iran: Maybe today and tomorrow, maybe next week!
While the American side makes contradictory statements in its exchange of messages with Iran and does not adhere to consistent principles, US Secretary of State Rubio this time claimed that the agreement with Iran will be concluded "probably today, tomorrow, or next week." Meanwhile, Rubio says that we now have individuals who have been convicted in the United States for attempted assassination, and one was recently arrested—an Iranian agent who was planning to assassinate political leaders, including the President of the United States. Rubio admits the extensive cooperation of the UAE with the United States against Iran. The US Secretary of State stated:
"I think our allies in the region have cooperated a lot. The cooperation of some of them has been very intense. The UAE is an example of this. Kuwait was excellent." The US Secretary of State Rubio claimed in a speech to Congress that the United States is still negotiating with Iran and that an agreement with Iran could be reached today, tomorrow, or next week. According to a CNN report, Secretary of State Rubio continued his unilateral claims and statements, saying: "US negotiations with Iran may include aspects of their nuclear program that just a month ago, just a year ago, they refused to even mention. Of course, this is not a guarantee that it will eventually lead to an acceptable agreement."
Rubio's claim came as the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman stated at the weekly briefing: "Whenever it is necessary to do something about nuclear issues, we know how to act. As we have repeatedly stated, there have been no negotiations on issues related to nuclear matters and our focus is on ending the war." Rubio stated: "If we get something in return, we can reduce sanctions against Iran. Iran should announce that it agrees to remove highly enriched uranium. If Iran wants to sell its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, it should open it again."
Also, while US senators and Western media report the obvious weakness and strategic failure of the US attack on Iran, without mentioning that the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has changed under the aggression of the US and Israel against Iran, Rubio called his country's offensive actions against Iran "very successful" and said: "We cannot have a world in which only Iranian ships pass through the straits, and if they are going to close the Strait of Hormuz to everyone, we will close the straits to them."
Iran hit 4 critical US military bases and the 5th Fleet – US attacked Qeshm island
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have attacked the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet. The US military, in turn, claims to have destroyed Iranian drones and missiles, as well as having attacked Qeshm island, hitting a control tower. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that US forces launched airstrikes on the Iranian island of Qeshm. "US forces launched self-defense strikes on Qeshm island in response to Iran-led attacks in the Middle East," the command said in a social media statement. It is said that the raid targeted an Iranian military ground control station.
Furthermore, according to CENTCOM, the US military destroyed several Iranian ballistic missiles and drones allegedly launched toward Kuwait and Bahrain, and immobilized an oil tanker attempting to reach Iran's Kharg island, defying the US blockade. Meanwhile, Iran, citing an IRGC announcement, reported a missile and drone attack on a US military base and the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet. The ship Panay, connected to the US, was also attacked. The Iranian Mehr news agency reported explosions near Qeshm island. At the same time, Bahrain sounded an alarm, advising residents to seek shelter in safe places. The Kuwaiti military claimed it repelled drone and missile attacks.
Strong Iranian strikes on the 5th Fleet and US bases Al-Dhafra, Al-Saffran, and Al-Minhad and the airport in Dubai
Iran, through the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), struck the US 5th Fleet and the US bases Al-Dhafra, Al-Saffran, and Al-Minhad, as well as the airport in Dubai. Media sources and the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense reported missile and drone attacks against the country. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the repelling of a drone attack. The US Central Command stated: "An additional wave of Iranian drones intended to attack US forces in Kuwait failed to reach their intended targets tonight." The US Central Command for Air Defense successfully shot down multiple drones and ensured that no US personnel or assets were damaged.
Reports of an attack on the Ali Salem base in Kuwait
Some Arab sources reported that explosions occurred in the city of Al-Sarrah in southern Kuwait, as well as at the Ali Salem air base, where US troops are stationed.
Iranian suicide drones in the sky over Kuwait
An Iranian ballistic missile struck the headquarters of the US Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain. A massive attack on US military installations in the United Arab Emirates took place. US bases, including Al-Dhafra, Al-Saffran, and Al-Minhad, and the military section of the Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, were the target of coordinated and extensive attacks. In fact, a Patriot missile was observed crashing in Kuwait shortly after its launch.
IRGC: We struck the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain and the American ship Panaya
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that its forces carried out retaliation against an enemy ship, the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain, and a regional American air base after two US offensive actions targeting Iranian assets. In a statement issued by the IRGC, it reported that the developments began when an Iranian oil tanker was hit near the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the announcement, "late last night, the aggressive US military struck an Iranian oil tanker with an aerial projectile near the Strait of Hormuz, causing damage to the ship's engine room." The IRGC stated that the incident triggered a reaction from its naval forces. "In response to this aggression and the violation of the regulations governing the Strait of Hormuz, an American-Zionist enemy ship named Panaya was targeted by missiles launched by the IRGC Navy." "In a renewed act of aggression, the US military targeted an IRGC communications tower in the southern part of Qeshm island with aerial projectiles." The IRGC reported that the attack was followed by retaliatory operations carried out by its Aerospace Forces. "In response to this aggression, the air base and helicopter base located in one of the countries in the region, as well as the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, were attacked with missiles and drones by the Aerospace Force of the Revolutionary Guards."
Warning of further escalation
The IRGC stated that the retaliatory operations were in line with its previous warnings. "We had previously warned that any act of aggression would be met with a different and stricter response and we acted accordingly. These responses should serve as a lesson." "We reiterate that disrupting the security of the Strait of Hormuz will have a heavy price for the aggressive American military." Iran has countered the latest attack of unprovoked aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime, which began on February 28, with at least 100 waves of decisive and successful retaliations. The retaliations hit sensitive and strategic American and Israeli targets throughout the region. The Islamic Republic also closed the Strait of Hormuz to enemies and their allies.
IRGC strike on the tanker Panaya
The Revolutionary Guards announced that they struck a ship connected to the US, in response to a US attack against an Iranian tanker, reported the Iranian television network Press TV, citing an IRGC statement. "The IRGC stated that an American military aircraft first launched an attack against an Iranian tanker near the Strait of Hormuz last night, causing damage to the ship's engine room. In response, IRGC units struck the ship 'Panaya', which is connected to the United States, using naval missiles," reported the television network. According to the announcement, the Iranian side presents the action as retaliation for the previous attack that, it claims, was carried out by US forces against the Iranian tanker in the area of the Strait of Hormuz.
Thomas Massie (Republican Congressman): Just words... the talk of tension between Trump and Netanyahu
US Republican Congressman Thomas Massie argues that reports of tension between Trump and Netanyahu are "just words." Massie criticized the US government's continued financial support for Israel and downplayed reports of a fierce confrontation between Trump and Netanyahu, calling them empty rhetoric. "It's all just words. Just cut off foreign aid to Israel for a month and it will stop bombing its neighbors – immediate peace, the Strait of Hormuz can open, and the price of gas will drop by $2 a gallon," he stated in a social media post. "Israel was and remains the largest recipient of state support from American taxpayers' money," added Massie.
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