US and Iran exchange fire, breaking a lull in fighting
The US and Iran exchange fire, breaking a lull in fighting
The renewed fighting comes after the Trump administration announced a shift toward economic warfare rather than military action.
WASHINGTON —
A monthlong lull in fighting is over after the U.S. military fired on Iranian targets on Sunday. Tehran’s response appeared to expand on Monday, as the conflict stretched into its seventh month.
American forces struck Iranian rocket launchers on an island along the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command described it as a limited attack to prevent Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from placing mines in the Strait.
“In essence, Iran created the threat and the U.S. military eliminated it to protect civilian mariners, commercial shipping, and the free flow of global commerce,” CENTCOM said.
Iran, on the other hand, described the attack as a deadly act of aggression. Tehran retaliated by launching missiles toward U.S. bases in Jordan.
On Monday, the United Arab Emirates’ air force reported intercepting drones over its territorial waters, although Iran didn’t immediately claim responsibility.
The exchange of fire comes a few days after the Trump administration said it was focused on ramping up economic pressure, rather than military action, to end the war.
Speaking to Fox News Channel’s Sunday Night in America, Trump suggested that a diplomatic solution isn’t necessary, as peace talks stall.
“They’re a failing nation right now, and at the right point, we’ll either win, or they will do something. I don’t mind winning, just winning. I don’t need a signature on a piece of paper,” Trump said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is teasing sanctions on another bank this week. Speaking to the Associated Press ahead of G20 meetings in Asheville, North Carolina, Bessent also said that he plans to meet with counterparts from other countries about increasing cooperation against Iran.
Bessent said he would speak to a representative from China, one of Iran’s biggest economic partners. He rejected the notion that the administration has been reluctant to confront China directly and said “all options are on the table” in terms of sanctioning Beijing.
The focus on sanctions comes amid reports that American munitions stockpiles are running low, but the Trump administration has maintained that reports of shortages are inaccurate.