Middle East Truce Under Threat As Iran Attacks Kuwait, Bahrain; Threatens US

Tehran: In retaliation against US airstrikes, Iran's paramilitary force 'Revolutionary Guard' launched drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday. Iran has threatened that if the US continued its attacks, ongoing negotiations to end the conflict could be completely halted. 
These attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait occurred just as a multinational maritime entity operating under US Navy oversight announced on Saturday that a shipping lane near Oman in the Strait of Hormuz would be expanded to facilitate the movement of vessels entering and exiting the Gulf. This move could spark a new source of confrontation with Iran.

Why are tensions escalating again? 

The interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict between the US and Iran includes provisions for resuming vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. However, Iran has twice attacked ships traversing the Oman route, which was established with the support of a UN agency. 
Despite opposition from the US and Arab Gulf nations, Tehran insists it should control vessel movement through this vital waterway. At one time, one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas passed through the Strait of Hormuz.

What did the USA say? 

US Central Command stated early Sunday that, following an attack on a vessel at sea early Saturday, it had targeted "Iran's military surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and mine-laying capabilities."

The Panama-flagged oil tanker 'Kiku', which fell victim to the Iranian attack, had been transporting crude oil for Qatar's state-owned energy company. Qatar is a key mediator in talks between Iran and the US. Trump stated on social media that the US had "struck Iran's missile and drone storage facilities and coastal radar sites in response to repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement."

Did Donald Trump Threaten Obliteration? 

Donald Trump warned that a time might come when it would no longer be possible for the US to exercise restraint and it would be "forced to finish the job through military action."

Trump wrote on his social media platform, 'Truth Social': "If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will cease to exist."

An Iranian drone had targeted a cargo ship off the coast of Oman on Thursday, prompting retaliatory strikes by the US military.
According to a vessel-tracking website, the 'Kiku' had begun its journey earlier this week from a Qatari oil field in the Persian Gulf. It was heading to a United Arab Emirates port located in the Gulf of Oman, on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz. It appears the vessel was attempting to use an alternative route established off the coast of Oman.
The US military stated that "Iran had the opportunity to abide by the ceasefire agreement," but its forces "decided not to do so" by attacking the 'Kiku'.
Following the US strikes, the Kuwaiti military announced early Sunday that its air defense systems had intercepted and destroyed incoming Iranian drones and missiles before they could reach their targets. No immediate information regarding any damage was provided. Kuwait hosts a major US Army military base.
Bahrain's Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the attack. Describing it as a "dangerous situation," the ministry noted that Tehran's actions were not merely isolated incidents but reflected a deliberate policy of repeated aggression against national sovereignty and the safety of citizens and residents. Bahrain hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet; its base there has been targeted multiple times during conflicts. 
Claiming responsibility for both attacks, the 'Revolutionary Guard' stated that it had targeted the Al-Asad airbase in Kuwait. The Guard declared, "The enemy must realize that any violation of the ceasefire... will completely halt ongoing processes." The 'Revolutionary Guard,' which controls Iran's ballistic missile arsenal, is accountable solely to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. It is believed that its influence within the Islamic Republic has now grown even further.