Tit-for-Tat Strikes Between U.S. and Iran... Negotiations Expected to Continue (Comprehensive)

Iran Says "U.S. Violated Armistice Agreement"

U.S.: "Firepower Four to Five Times Greater Than Last Month's Operation"

Negotiations Temporarily Halted for Khamenei's Funeral

On July 8 (local time), Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a “retaliatory attack” using missiles and drones against U.S. military bases in Bahrain and Kuwait. The IRGC’s action came after the United States conducted large-scale airstrikes and imposed sanctions on Iranian oil exports. While some observers say the fragile peace between the United States and Iran has collapsed, expectations remain that the two countries will continue negotiations for an armistice.

According to foreign media outlets such as The New York Times (NYT), the IRGC’s Navy and Aerospace Force jointly attacked 85 U.S. military facilities, including Salman Port in Bahrain and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, using a combination of missiles and drones. The IRGC also claimed to have shot down one U.S. “MQ-9” drone.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament and Iran’s chief negotiator, asserted on the same day that the United States had violated the terms of a provisional agreement. He said, “The era of harassment and extortion is over. Nothing can be gained in that way. Iran will not yield.”

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also argued that the series of actions “neutralized some of the provisions of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) related to the armistice agreement.” The ministry further warned Middle Eastern countries to “ensure their territories are not used for Iranian attacks,” adding that any cooperation with the United States would be considered collusion.

Previously, the United States had launched a military strike in response to a tanker attack near the coast of Oman, which is suspected to have been orchestrated by Iran. The three tankers that were attacked included vessels registered in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier from Qatar. Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and the UAE condemned the incident, attributing responsibility to Iran. However, according to foreign media reports, Iran did not acknowledge responsibility for the attack.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that more than 80 targets were precisely struck in Iran, including air defense systems, command and control facilities, coastal radar bases, anti-ship missile assets, and small vessels belonging to the IRGC. A U.S. official told the online outlet Axios that this airstrike was “four to five times larger in scale and firepower” than the operation conducted last month. The U.S. Treasury Department also withdrew its waiver on sanctions against Iranian oil exports.

U.S. President Donald Trump. Photo by AP Yonhap News

This round of airstrikes took place while U.S. President Donald Trump was attending the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Türkiye. Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General, stated at the summit that “U.S. airstrikes against Iran were absolutely necessary,” and added that “Iran is essentially violating the ceasefire agreement.” He emphasized that the United States’ resolute response is essential and announced that the issue of Iran would be a core agenda item at the summit.

A U.S. official told the New York Post, “Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz are unacceptable to the United States, and Iran will pay the price.” However, the official added, “The U.S. negotiating team continues to engage in discussions in good faith toward a final agreement.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.