Iran, US exchange strikes as interim ceasefire faces new tensions

Iran and the United States traded fresh attacks in the Gulf on Sunday, escalating tensions and casting doubt on an interim ceasefire agreement signed less than two weeks prior. Both nations accused each other of violating the deal, which was intended to end their four-month war and reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz to shipping.

Shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of potential military action, Iran launched missiles and drones targeting U.S. military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain. This followed a cycle of retaliatory strikes, with the U.S. military reporting new strikes on Iran hours after a Panama-flagged tanker was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. This critical waterway, which carries approximately one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies, had been largely cut off during the conflict.

The 14-point interim agreement, brokered through mediated talks in Switzerland involving U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Iran's Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, led to eased sanctions on Tehran. However, the ceasefire quickly frayed as accusations of aggression resumed. Iran contended that recent U.S. strikes breached the agreement, threatening diplomatic efforts, while Washington asserted that Tehran had failed to uphold the truce by continuing attacks on commercial shipping. The latest escalation began with a cargo ship attack on Thursday, followed by the tanker strike in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, highlighting the ongoing volatility in the region.