Fresh US-Iran Missile Strikes Dim Hopes For Peace Talks

The United States resumed strikes against Iran on Thursday, ending a five-day pause in military operations, while Tehran claimed it had targeted US military bases in Kuwait and Jordan, marking the latest escalation in a conflict that has entered its fifth month.

In a statement, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces launched strikes at 8 PM ET as a "powerful response" to attempted Iranian attacks on US personnel stationed in the Middle East.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as per the state news agency IRNA, claimed it had struck a US airbase in Kuwait, destroyed three US F-35 stealth fighters and killed American troops in Jordan.

CENTCOM rejected the claims, saying no US aircraft had been destroyed or damaged and that all Iranian missiles and drones were either intercepted or failed to reach their targets.

"Over the past few hours, Iranian state media have continued to report false claims by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps," CENTCOM said.

Conflict Reignites

The latest strikes ended a brief lull after President Donald Trump paused a two-week US bombing campaign following an Iranian missile attack on American forces in Jordan. While the pause had raised hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough, both sides have since accused each other of violating understandings reached through backchannel contacts.

Trump said earlier this week that Washington and Tehran were having "good talks" but warned that military operations would resume if negotiations failed to produce results.

Although the two countries agreed in June to pursue negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme and regional security, disagreements over key issues, including freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, have prevented any breakthrough.

Blockade And Sanctions

The renewed exchange comes as US forces continue enforcing a naval blockade around Iran.

CENTCOM said it had redirected 20 commercial vessels, boarded two others and rejected Iranian claims that a commercial oil tanker had breached the blockade.

At the same time, Washington imposed fresh sanctions targeting Iran's Mahan Air network and an IRGC-linked front company, saying the entities had supported Iranian military operations.

Iran, meanwhile, said it had dismantled several US- and Israel-linked "terrorist cells" in the country's southeast and vowed to continue defending its territory.