The US is carrying out new strikes against an Iranian military base, the official said
The US military has carried out another strike in Iran, a US official confirmed to CBS News on Wednesday, another challenge to the a shaky ceasefire between the two countries.
The official described the strikes as defensive, shooting down four Iranian drones that hit a ground control station in the port city of Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth. Drones pose a threat near the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping channel that has been closed since the war began.
The official said the US-Iran standoff is still considered to be on hold.
“These actions are measured, purely defensive, and aimed at maintaining the ceasefire,” the official added.
Reuters was the first to report on the new strikes.
The Iranian government called the strikes a violation of the ceasefire and announced it had fired retaliatory fire at American territory in the region. Iran did not specify which American base was the target, but the US Central Command later said that Iran had launched a ballistic missile towards Kuwait early Thursday morning local time. Kuwaiti forces fired a missile, CENTCOM said, and there were no reports of US facilities being hit in the Gulf country.
The back-and-out was just two days after CENTCOM confirmed an earlier round of “defensive strikes” in southern Iran, hitting missile launch sites and Iranian boats suspected of laying mines. CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said On Monday the strikes were designed to “protect our military from threats posed by the Iranian military.”
Iran has condemned previous strikes, calling the move “a major violation of the ceasefire” and vowing that the Iranian government “will not leave any hostile act unanswered.”
The attack comes as President Trump pressures Iran to strike a long-term deal with the United States – and threatens to resume a major bombing campaign if Iran does not agree to his terms.
At the weekend, the president expressed his hope, saying a peace treaty it was “much discussed.” But on Wednesday, Mr. Trump appeared less confident, saying in the Cabinet meeting that the US is “not satisfied.”
“Maybe we have to go back and finish, maybe we don’t,” said Mr. Trump added that he thinks Iran wants to make a deal.
A senior Trump administration official said Sunday Iran had agreed in principle in the agreement template, although it may take several days to formalize and sign the final agreement. The deal being negotiated would involve a two-step process. First, Iran will immediately allow the Strait of Hormuz to open so that the US can lift its blockade of Iranian ports. After that, the two sides will negotiate a way for Iran to abandon various parts of its nuclear program.
Iran has agreed in principle to give up a significant amount of highly enriched uranium, a Trump administration official said. How the nearly weapons-grade material will be disposed of is unclear. Mr. Trump wrote on social media on Monday that things could be destroyed in the US or “better” in Iran.
