Iran Strikes US-Linked Targets and Bahrain Reports Drone Attack as Ceasefire Agreement Cracks

Iran said Saturday it struck targets linked to US forces in what it called a defensive response to American airstrikes on its southern coastal surveillance facilities. The US said its Friday strikes were themselves a response to an Iranian drone attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, separately condemned what it called an Iranian drone attack on its territory describing it as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and a threat to regional security. Bahrain said it reserved the right to defend itself and accused Tehran of breaching UN Security Council Resolution 2817 and the June 17 ceasefire memorandum.

Iran Says It Controls the Strait — The US Disagrees

Iran has asserted its authority to regulate shipping through the strait, demanding vessels comply with routes designated by Tehran and warning Gulf states against siding with Washington.

Iran’s parliamentary national security chief Ebrahim Azizi said Saturday that any vessel violating Iran’s shipping instructions would face a decisive response. US Central Command rejected that claim entirely, condemning Iran’s cargo ship strike as unwarranted aggression and saying the US would continue providing safe passage for commercial vessels.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, wrapping up a Gulf tour to reassure regional allies, issued a joint statement with the Gulf Cooperation Council calling for free and unrestricted navigation in the strait without tolls or Iranian control.

Vance Warns Iran Directly

Vice President JD Vance, who has become Trump’s point person on the conflict, was blunt on X. “Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it. If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence.”

Israel and Lebanon Sign Agreement — But Hezbollah Refuses

In a separate but connected development, Israel and Lebanon signed an agreement to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, calling for Hezbollah to disarm and Israeli troops to withdraw from Lebanon. Hezbollah said it would not cooperate with the deal.