Ceasefire at risk? US strikes Iranian military targets near Hormuz
The strikes were defensive in nature (photo: Getty Images)
The US military attacked Iranian boats and air defense systems that were attempting to place mines in the Strait of Hormuz and opened fire on American aircraft, Fox News journalist Jennifer Griffin reports.
She wrote that the TV channel was informed about the incident in southern Iran by US Central Command spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins.
"US forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces. Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines," he said.
Later, citing an unnamed US official, the journalist clarified that American forces destroyed two Iranian boats during an attempt to place mines in the Strait of Hormuz. However, the incident does not mean that the ceasefire has ended.
"The US military eliminated both IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) vessels and also struck at a SAM (surface-to-air missile) site in Bandar Abbas that was targeting US warplanes. 'These were defensive strikes.' They do not indicate ceasefire is over, according to two well-placed sources," the publication said.
Later, Jennifer Griffin published a third post stating that, based on her information, the US strikes have now ended.
She repeated that these actions were defensive, not offensive in nature. That is, the incident was not an attempt to violate the ceasefire. The journalist also clarified that the Iranian air defense system not only targeted US warplanes, but also fired at them.
photo: Jennifer Griffin on US strikes in Iran
Attempt to end the war
The United States and Iran are actively conducting negotiations through mediators to reach an agreement to end the war. First of all, the parties are trying to agree on a memorandum of understanding primarily aimed at ending the war.
If the document is agreed upon, then within 30–60 days, both countries intend to reach a final agreement, where the nuclear issue and more will be discussed.
A Fox News source also said that the memorandum is already 95% ready, and US President Donald Trump gave no more than about 7 days for the final approval of the document.
