U.S. and Iran exchange new attacks after Trump says ceasefire is ‘over’
10 reported2 unconfirmed2 conflicting
The United States and Iran have traded new attacks, intensifying an exchange that threatens to collapse their agreement to end the war. The American military said it hit around 90 targets in airstrikes across Iran on Wednesday, after President Donald Trump said he considered the tenuous ceasefire between the two countries over following Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran retaliated with attacks on U.S. allies across the Middle East, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. The two days of renewed fighting cast doubt on whether Washington and Tehran remained committed to reaching a final deal to end the war, which was launched by the U.S. and Israel in February. A U.S. official told NBC News that the U.S. had not carried out any further strikes on Thursday, contradicting Iranian officials, though the military has been shooting down incoming Iranian projectiles. There are no reports of any injuries or significant damage to U.S. facilities, and the U.S. and allies shot down nearly all incoming threats, or they failed to reach targets, the official said. At least 14 people were killed and another 78 wounded in the two days of U.S. attacks, the Iranian Health Ministry said Thursday in its first overall count of casualties.
What’s reported
The U.S. military said it struck approximately 90 Iranian military targets including air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline.
A U.S. official said the U.S. had not carried out any further strikes on Thursday, contradicting Iranian officials.
Falling debris from interceptions caused some damage, including to one non-U.S. building near the U.S. Navy headquarters in Bahrain.
Iranian state media reported multiple explosions in cities across the country’s south, and the Foreign Ministry denounced Wednesday’s strikes as a “grave war crime,” saying they targeted civilian infrastructure including two railway bridges.
Videos geolocated by NBC News showed a damaged railway bridge in Golestan province, which is between Tehran and Mashhad.
The U.S. official on Thursday denied targeting the Bushehr nuclear power plant after a local official said an airstrike hit the perimeter of the plant.
At least 14 people were killed and another 78 wounded in the two days of U.S. attacks, the Iranian Health Ministry said Thursday.
The IRGC said it fired 10 ballistic missiles, targeting a U.S. command and control center, as well as an air base in Jordan.
Trump and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June, which kicked off a 60-day negotiating period toward a final deal to end the conflict.
Talks have been paused this week as Iran holds massive funeral events for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes at the start of the war.
Conflicting accounts
A U.S. official told NBC News that the U.S. had not carried out any further strikes on Thursday, contradicting Iranian officials.
The U.S. official denied targeting the Bushehr nuclear power plant after a local official said an airstrike hit the perimeter of the plant.
Open questions
Whether the two sides remain committed to reaching a final deal to end the war.
The status of the Strait of Hormuz negotiations, which has become a major sticking point in talks.
Key figures
President Donald Trump
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (slain Supreme Leader of Iran)
Ali Vaez (Iran project director for the International Crisis Group think tank)
Sources: NBC News
