US-Iran Military Tit-for-tat Escalates, As Hezbollah Rejects Israel-Lebanon Framework Agreement

In latest tit-for-tat since both countries signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in a statement early Sunday, claimed responsibility for launching coordinated missile and drone strikes against eight US military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain, specifically targeting the Ali al-Salem Air Base and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters at Port Salman.

The IRGC stated this operation was a direct retaliation for recent US Central Command (CENTCOM) strikes on Iranian territory, accusing Washington of violating the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding ceasefire agreement.

Public warning sirens were activated, and the government urged citizens to seek shelter. A U.S. defense official stated that two Iranian drones were detected heading toward the Navy base; one was shot down by ground-based defense systems, while the other landed harmlessly in a remote airfield area.

Kuwait’s The General Command of the Armed Forces confirmed that their air defense systems actively engaged and intercepted hostile missile and drone threats over their airspace.

The IRGC warned that any further US aggression would result in a "crushing response" and could lead to the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas exports.

According to a US official, Iran has launched multiple missiles and drones toward neighboring countries, including Bahrain and Kuwait; no U.S. casualties or major damage reported at this time.

The escalation was triggered by Iranian attack on the Panama-flagged tanker M/T Kiku, which was carrying over two million barrels of crude oil near the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker, which had departed a Qatari oil field and was bound for the UAE, suffered minor damage, but no crew members were injured and no oil leaked.

CENTCOM announced that US aircraft struck 10 Iranian military targets, including surveillance radar sites and drone storage facilities near Sirik Island and Qeshm Island, stating these actions were ordered by President Donald Trump in response to the tanker strike and alleged Iranian breach of the truce.

The primary flashpoint remains control over the Strait of Hormuz. In an effort to bypass Iranian-controlled waters, a U.S.-led multinational maritime body expanded an alternative shipping lane closer to the coast of Oman. Iran views this alternative route as an infringement on its regional leverage, with Iranian officials publicly asserting that "The Strait of Hormuz is governed by Iran."

Following the strikes, President Trump issued a severe warning on Truth Social, writing that the U.S. had given Iran a chance to honor the ceasefire, but they elected not to. He said that the US might be "forced to militarily complete the job," warning that the Islamic Republic of Iran could "no longer exist" if it continued to violate the ceasefire.

The president added, "There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started."

The post-MOU peace began unraveling on Thursday, June 25, when an Iranian drone struck the Singapore-registered container ship Ever Lovely. The U.S. retaliated with strikes on Friday, which led to the IRGC hitting the M/T Kiku on Saturday, triggering the massive U.S. retaliation and subsequent Iranian bombardment of Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday.

Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE condemned the strikes on Bahrain, reaffirming support for the kingdom’s security and rejecting actions threatening regional stability.

Following a highly destructive four-month U.S.-Iran war earlier in 2026—which saw global oil prices skyrocket after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz—the two nations signed a 14-point interim ceasefire agreement mediated in Islamabad. The deal established a 60-day window for technical negotiations and required Iran to guarantee free passage for commercial shipping.

Hezbollah, Allies Slam The US-brokered Lebanon-Israel Framework Agreement

Meanwhile Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem condemned the U.S.-Israel-Lebanon framework agreement signed in Washington D.C. on Friday, as a "humiliation," "surrender," and "null and void." He argued that the deal undermines Lebanese sovereignty by linking an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah, which the group views as crossing "all red lines."

Instead, Qassem asserted that the conflict should be resolved through the Iran-U.S. memorandum of understanding signed two weeks prior, which he claims guarantees Lebanon's territorial integrity.

Lebanese politicians allied with Hezbollah also voiced strong opposition. Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri labeled the agreement an "incitement to civil war," while MP Mohammad Raad criticized the Lebanese government's "complete submission" to the U.S. and Israel. The Hezbollah Lawyers’ Association declared the deal a violation of the Lebanese constitution, which they argue opposes Zionism, and warned that enforcing the agreement could lead to civil war as the group resists disarmament.

Despite the diplomatic signing, hostilities persisted. Israel maintained that the deal allows it to remain in an expanded security zone until Hezbollah is fully disarmed, with Defense Minister Israel Katz stating the military is prepared for an extended stay.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military conducted a drone strike on Nabatieh al-Fawqa on Saturday, targeting an individual deemed a threat, signaling ongoing tensions even as the framework aimed to end the state of war that began in 1948.