WASHINGTON - The fragile US-Iran ceasefire is fraying after new airstrikes and missile attacks. Tensions escalated Friday when the US military struck radar sites in Iran after downing drones headed toward the Strait of Hormuz.
Air raid sirens sounded in Kuwait and Bahrain. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched seven ballistic missiles at those US allies, according to CENTCOM. Six missiles were intercepted; the seventh missed its target. No US personnel were harmed.
This violence comes as the US granted visas to Iran’s national football team for the FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. US Ambassador Tom Barrack confirmed the move, saying “sports transcends borders.” However, a US official warned against Iran using the team to “sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretenses.”
President Trump told NBC News that Iran retains roughly 21-22% of its missile stockpile-higher than his estimate last month.
Negotiations to end the 100-day war remain deadlocked. Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam urged Iran to “have mercy on our south” and stop using Lebanon as a battlefield. Iran insists the fighting in Lebanon and the Gulf are linked.