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🇳🇵 Nepal /Conflict & Security

US strikes Iran again as Tehran warns of ‘existential war’ with America

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • The US struck Iran's coastal defenses and missile sites, reimposing a naval blockade and escalating hostilities after a fragile truce collapsed.
  • Military operations are targeting Iranian capabilities used to threaten vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international waterway for global commerce.
  • Iran threatened to shut off more regional energy exports, warning of an "existential war" with America as oil prices rose to a one-month high.

The United States launched strikes against Iran's coastal defenses and missile sites on Wednesday, reimposing a naval blockade on its ports. This latest escalation follows the collapse of a fragile truce and raises concerns about a return to full-scale war, though analysts deem this less likely. Hostilities have intensified since Iran announced it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for global oil and gas, which carried about a fifth of such shipments before the conflict.

US Central Command stated that the strikes targeted Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, an international waterway crucial for global commerce. The US military is holding Iran accountable at the direction of the Commander in Chief. Three US officials indicated that the strikes also aim to destroy Iranian military capabilities that the US would want to eliminate before undertaking more complex operations.

The strikes are targeting Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, an international waterway vital to global commerce. The US military ⁠is holding Iran accountable at the Commander in Chief’s direction.

— US Central CommandStatement on X regarding the strikes against Iranian military capabilities.

The US military also reported disabling an unladen oil tanker attempting to sail toward Iran's Kharg Island after it ignored multiple warnings. Since resuming a naval blockade on Tuesday, the US has redirected two ships and disabled another. Iran's Mehr news agency reported attacks in several locations, including near a hospital in Ahvaz housing a pediatric cancer center, forcing its temporary evacuation. Families gathered outside to care for their children.

Following the strikes, Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf declared that Iranian security depended on maintaining "Iranian arrangements" in the strait, stating, "We are in an essential and existential war with America." Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, closed at a one-month high of $84.95 a barrel on Wednesday.

We are in an essential and existential war with America.

— Mohammad Baqer QalibafIran's top negotiator, commenting on the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz after the US strikes.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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