Washington [US], June 11: US President Donald Trump has threatened to launch further strikes on Iran, despite his efforts to reach a deal to end the war.
"We hit them hard yesterday, and we're going to hit them again hard today," Trump told reporters at the White House at midday. The US launched strikes on Iran overnight, in what Trump said was a response to iranian forces shooting down a US military helicopter in the waters off the coast of Oman on Monday night.
US troops bombarded air defence systems, ground control stations and radar installations in the area of the Strait of Hormuz, the US CENTCOM command responsible for the region wrote on X.
Tehran then retaliated by attacking US bases in the Gulf region as well as in Jordan. Kuwait's air defence was deployed, according to military statements. Sirens also sounded again in Bahrain.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump also renewed his demands for Iran to agree to a deal to end the war, which was launched by the US and Israel on February 28.
The US president said the parties "were really close to a deal, but they keep tapping us along, they keep playing us for suckers." He said Iran should sign the agreement, describing it as "a good deal."
Trump accused Iran of refusing to make a deal to end the war, saying "now they will have to pay the price," following the latest flare-up between the two countries.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump claimed that much of Iran's military "doesn't even exist anymore," following the US and Israeli attacks of the past months.
"The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!! They've taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!"
Meanwhile, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that his country will "stand firm" amid threats from Trump of more attacks against Iran.
In a post on X, Pezeshkian also denounced warnings to target Iranian infrastructure.
"Threats to target them - from transportation networks to the electricity and water industries - are not a show of strength but a sign of desperation in the face of a nation's will," he said.
Mutual attacks test fragile ceasefire Fighting between the United States and Iran briefly resumed overnight, once again testing the fragile ceasefire that has been in place since April, and coming amid Trump's efforts to end the war he launched alongside Israel on February 28.
Thousands in southern Iran left without water
Thousands of residents on the southern coast of Iran were without water following the overnight US strikes and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, according to Iranian media reports.
The drinking water supply to the city of Kuhestak in Hormozgan province and 10 other villages had been completely cut off, news agency Mehr reported, citing a government official.
"As a result of this incident, more than 20,000 residents of the region, who already live under difficult climatic conditions and extreme heat, have been cut off from access to water," the report said.
Source: Qatar Tribune
