US Launches Second Strike on Iranian Targets in Three Days Amid Stalled Peace Talks
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The U.S. military launched fresh retaliatory strikes on a military installation in the strategic Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, further threatening a fragile ceasefire between the two nations.
According to U.S. Central Command (Centcom), American forces neutralized four Iranian one-way attack drones that posed an immediate threat near the vital Strait of Hormuz. A fifth drone was destroyed on the ground at the Bandar Abbas facility just as it was preparing for launch. Local Iranian media confirmed hearing explosions east of the city.
This latest operation marks the second time in just three days that the U.S. has targeted positions inside Iran. Centcom defended the actions as "measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire". Earlier on Monday, U.S. forces executed a similar round of self-defense strikes in southern Iran, targeting missile sites and naval vessels attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz—a crucial maritime corridor where thousands of commercial tankers have been stranded.
The renewed escalation comes during delicate negotiations aimed at ending a three-month-old conflict that has severely choked global shipping traffic and driven up international energy prices.
Iran quickly condemned the latest bombardment, labeling it a "grave violation of the ceasefire" and warning that the government would not leave hostile actions unanswered. Additionally, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have downed a U.S. drone and fired upon American aircraft that allegedly violated Iranian airspace earlier in the week.
Meanwhile, during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump remained defiant, stating that Iran is "negotiating on fumes" and asserting that upcoming November midterm elections would not alter his administration's wartime strategy.
Amid the fragile ceasefire, U.S. President Donald Trump has adopted a sterner tone regarding peace talks with Iran, warning that the United States is willing to resume military operations if an agreement is not finalized. While expressing optimism over the weekend that a peace deal was "largely negotiated," the President shifted his tone during a Wednesday cabinet meeting, explicitly stating that Washington is currently "not satisfied" with the progress.
Speaking to reporters, President Trump asserted that Tehran is under immense pressure. "They just want to make a deal—I don't think they have a choice," Trump remarked, adding that while Iran is "very much intent" on reaching an agreement to end the conflict, they have yet to meet U.S. terms. "Either that or we'll have to just finish the job," he warned, later musing, "Maybe we have to go back and finish it, maybe we don't."
The conflict dates back to February 28, when Israel and the U.S. jointly launched a war against Iran. Israel simultaneously remains embroiled in a military conflict with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon. During Wednesday's meeting, President Trump also used the opportunity to urge Gulf nations to sign onto the Abraham Accords and normalize their diplomatic relations with Israel.
While both sides signaled tangible progress late last week—sparking speculation that a final announcement was close—the momentum has since slowed. Tehran cautioned that a breakthrough was "not imminent," and Trump noted he had instructed American negotiators "not to rush into" a flawed pact.
Adding to the friction, Iranian state television recently broadcasted what it claimed were specific details of a draft agreement. According to the Iranian report, the proposed terms included the reopening of the blockaded Strait of Hormuz and the complete withdrawal of U.S. military forces from the region. The White House swiftly rejected the report, branding the leaked text a "complete fabrication."
(Source: BBC)
