Fresh tension has erupted in the Middle East after Iran accused the United States of violating a peace agreement reached to end the recent war, following fresh military strikes by Washington and retaliatory attacks by Tehran on US targets in the Gulf.
The renewed exchange of fire has sparked fears that the fragile ceasefire may be on the brink of collapse, even as both countries continue negotiations aimed at reaching a broader and lasting peace agreement.
The latest confrontation came after Washington accused Tehran of attacking a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, an incident that has heightened concerns over the security of one of the world’s busiest oil shipping routes.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces struck Iranian missile and drone storage facilities as well as coastal radar installations in response to what it described as “unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces” that violated the ceasefire agreement.
But Iran strongly rejected the US action, insisting it was Washington that breached the peace deal.
In a statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry described the American strikes on its coastal surveillance facilities as “a blatant violation” of the memorandum of understanding signed to end the conflict.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also confirmed launching retaliatory strikes against US positions in the Gulf.
“If the aggression is repeated, our response will be broader than this,” the Guards warned in a statement carried by Iranian state television.
Meanwhile, Bahrain accused Iran of targeting the country with several drones in the early hours of Saturday, condemning the attacks and alleging that Tehran was sabotaging ongoing peace efforts.
Iranian state television reported that an explosion occurred near a pier in the southern city of Sirik, although the Mehr News Agency later quoted officials as saying port operations were unaffected and no infrastructure was damaged.
US President Donald Trump had earlier condemned what he described as an Iranian drone attack on a commercial vessel, calling it “a foolish violation of our ceasefire agreement.”
Vice President JD Vance also issued a stern warning to Tehran, declaring on X that “violence will be met with violence” should Iran launch further attacks.
Despite Iran’s warning that vessels should not pass through the Strait of Hormuz without its permission, commercial shipping has continued, with some vessels reportedly using alternative routes.
Interestingly, global oil prices fell sharply amid hopes that shipping activities through the strategic waterway which handles about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports would continue to recover despite the renewed hostilities.
US Brokers Israel-Lebanon Peace Framework
In a separate diplomatic breakthrough, Israel and Lebanon welcomed a US-brokered framework agreement aimed at reducing hostilities along their shared border.
The agreement, signed in Washington after five rounds of negotiations, provides for Lebanese troops to take control of two areas currently occupied by Israel while setting out a process for the eventual disarmament of Hezbollah.
At the signing ceremony, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, flanked by Israeli and Lebanese officials, described the accord as a framework that “begins to put in place a lasting peace and security.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the deal as a major diplomatic victory against Iran, saying it would allow the Lebanese Army to assume control of two pilot areas in southern Lebanon while Israeli troops remain in designated security zones until Hezbollah is disarmed.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed the agreement as “a first step” toward allowing displaced civilians to return home under the authority of the Lebanese state.
However, supporters of Hezbollah staged protests in Beirut, rejecting the framework and insisting that the Lebanon front should be resolved as part of wider negotiations between the US and Iran.
Nuclear Programme Still a Major Obstacle
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has cautioned that any permanent peace agreement between the United States and Iran must include robust verification measures to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi acknowledged Iran’s insistence that it has no intention of building nuclear weapons but stressed that declarations alone were insufficient.
“The government of Iran has declared quite clearly that this is not their intention,” Grossi said.
“But, of course, intentions are not enough. We have to have a very strong verification system in place as soon as is practicable.”
Under the interim agreement, Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium is expected to be diluted under IAEA supervision as negotiations continue toward a comprehensive settlement.
