Iran and U.S. exchange new strikes as Trump meets with Zelenskyy
U.S. Central Command released video overnight showing what it described as strikes on more than 80 Iranian military targets.
(NBC)- President Donald Trump is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as renewed fighting between the United States and Iran threatens to derail efforts to secure a lasting peace agreement in the Middle East.
U.S. Central Command released video overnight showing what it described as strikes on more than 80 Iranian military targets. The military said the attacks were carried out in response to Iranian strikes on three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, calling the attacks a violation of the ceasefire.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it retaliated by launching attacks against U.S. bases in the Gulf, triggering missile alerts in Bahrain and Kuwait. It was not immediately clear whether there was any damage, and the Pentagon had not commented.
The latest exchange has raised new concerns about the future of the fragile ceasefire as negotiators continue working toward a long-term peace agreement.
Before the latest strikes, Trump downplayed the conflict, saying it was “not even a war” but a military operation.
The Trump administration also increased pressure on Iran by revoking a waiver that had allowed the country to sell oil on the open market under the preliminary peace agreement. The move sent oil prices higher.
The escalating conflict comes as Trump meets with Zelenskyy following recent calls with both the Ukrainian president and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine continues to seek additional Patriot missile defense systems as Russia intensifies attacks, with Zelenskyy urging allies to deliver more assistance as quickly as possible.
