Iran says new US strikes violate ceasefire, complicating peace efforts

Iran asserted on Tuesday that U.S. strikes near the contested Strait of Hormuz constituted a "gross violation" of a nearly seven-week ceasefire, potentially complicating efforts to end the ongoing war. The U.S. stated its attacks were defensive, targeting missile sites and mine-laying boats.

Further straining peace negotiations, Israel conducted over 120 air strikes on Lebanon, described as one of the heaviest bombing days in weeks by Lebanese security sources. Iran has been advocating for an end to Israeli attacks in Lebanon as a condition for any potential deal. Iran's foreign ministry reported sounds of explosions in its southern Hormozgan province early Tuesday.

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From now on, the slogans ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel’ will be the slogans of the Islamic nation and the oppressed people of the world.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that a deal to halt the conflict might take "a few days" to finalize. Progress had been reported on an initial agreement that would cease hostilities and allow shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to resume. This initial accord would provide negotiators 60 days to address more complex issues, including Iran's nuclear program. Iranian negotiators reportedly pushed for the inclusion of the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets.

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The Strait of Hormuz had to be open “one way or the other.”

The war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, has triggered an unprecedented oil supply shock, driving up costs for fuel, fertilizer, and food. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for about a fifth of global oil and LNG trade, has been significantly reduced. Following the U.S. strikes, Rubio emphasized the need for the Strait to remain open, stating it "had to be open one way or the other."

Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, in comments marking the hajj pilgrimage, declared that "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" would henceforth be the rallying cries of the "Islamic nation and the oppressed people of the world." The Revolutionary Guards also stated they reserved the right to retaliate, claiming to have downed a U.S. drone and fired at other aircraft that allegedly entered Iranian airspace.

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US strikes in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province... represented a “gross violation” of a tenuous ceasefire in place for nearly seven weeks.