DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) 鈥� The U.S. military launched a second round of airstrikes Saturday targeting Iran at President direction as Tehran hit both Bahrain and Kuwait, underscoring rising tensions that threaten to stop the war.
The attack on Kuwait early Sunday was the first since the two sides signed a deal that aimed to halt fighting, and came as a multinational maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy said Saturday that it would expand a route near Oman in the strait to allow for both inbound and outbound traffic 鈥� likely setting up a new flashpoint with Tehran.
The U.S. military’s Central Command said it struck Iranian military 鈥渟urveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities and minelayer capabilities鈥� following an attack on a ship at sea early Saturday morning. That ship, the Panamanian-flagged tanker Kiku, carried crude oil for the state-run energy company of Qatar, a key negotiator between Iran and the U.S.
In a social media post, Trump said the U.S. had 鈥渟truck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN!鈥� He warned of a point where the U.S. may no longer be able to be reasonable 鈥渁nd will be forced to militarily complete the job.”
鈥淚f that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!鈥� Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The incident follows a similar back and forth that occurred just days prior when off the coast of Oman on Thursday and the U.S. military retaliated with strikes.
US says strikes were a response to Iranian attack on oil tanker
According to ship tracking websites, the Kiku left a Qatari oil field in the middle of the Persian Gulf earlier in the week and was bound for a port in the United Arab Emirates that sits on the Gulf of Oman, just on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz.
It appeared to be attempting to use a route that was established near the coast of Oman that is serving as an alternative to the route sanctioned by Iran that runs through its own waters.
The U.S. military said that 鈥淚ran had a chance to honor the ceasefire agreement鈥� but 鈥渆lected not to鈥� when its forces attacked the Kiku.
Iran state TV reported explosions in an area just north of the Strait of Hormuz.
After the U.S. strikes early Sunday, Kuwait’s military said air defenses intercepted incoming Iranian drones and missiles. It offered no immediate information on any damage. Kuwait is home to a major U.S. Army base.
Bahrain condemns Iran鈥檚 drone attack
Earlier on Saturday, a statement from Bahrain鈥檚 Foreign Ministry said a 鈥渘umber of Iranian drones鈥� targeted the country. It called the attack 鈥渁 flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents.鈥� There were no immediate reports of damage.
Iran鈥檚 paramilitary Revolutionary Guard earlier issued a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency saying it had targeted several locations 鈥渙f the U.S. terrorist army in the region.鈥� It did not name what areas were targeted.
Bahrain has been one of the strongest critics of Iran and is home to the U.S. Navy鈥檚 5th Fleet. It just hosted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for , which ended with a call for an end to Iran鈥檚 attacks and for the strait to be completely open.
Overnight into Saturday, the U.S. military鈥檚 Central Command said it had struck Iranian missile and drone locations and coastal radar sites.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who has led the negotiations with Iran, said on social media Friday night that Iran should 鈥減ick up the phone鈥� if there are disagreements about the ceasefire agreement, 鈥渂ut violence will be met with violence.鈥�
The U.S. and Iran are negotiating terms of the deal including issues such as getting ships through the strait that鈥檚 vital to global supplies of oil and natural gas and addressing the future of .
Under the interim deal, the two sides have 60 days to work out the details. Ending the between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group is a key part of the deal.
Ship comes under attack as strait route expands
The British military鈥檚 United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said that a tanker was attacked Saturday in the strait, with the crew safe and no environmental damage reported. No one immediately claimed the strike, but suspicion fell on Iran.
Just after that report, the Joint Maritime Information Center, overseen by the U.S. Navy, said the route near Oman鈥檚 shore is expanding to allow for inbound and outbound traffic.
Iran has insisted that ships must obey its orders and warned it will start charging fees for transit through the strait. However, ships have been increasingly trying to leave the Gulf in recent days.
Ebrahim Azizi, who heads the Iranian parliament鈥檚 national security commission, wrote Friday that 鈥渢he Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran, so: Respect the rules.鈥�
The U.S. and Gulf Arab states have rejected Iran鈥檚 demands. The strait is considered as an international waterway, despite being the territorial waters of Iran and Oman.
The Joint Maritime Information Center warned that the threat to ships was 鈥渟ubstantial,鈥� adding that 鈥渕ariners are advised of the existence of mines and should expect a naval presence as clearance operations continue.鈥�
The International Maritime Organization on Friday said it won鈥檛 resume until there are guarantees that the other ships won鈥檛 be attacked. It said about 115 ships have been able to move out of the strait in recent days.
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Toropin reported from Washington, Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report.
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