So much for that ceasefire — the US and Iran are back at it, and Tehran is fuming.

Right, so things have kicked off again in the Gulf. Iran has come out swinging, accusing the US of a “gross violation” of their ceasefire after fresh American air strikes hit the country on Monday, according to cbinews.tv.

The US Central Command, or Centcom, says it was all self-defence. They claim they were targeting Iranian missile sites and boats that were apparently trying to lay mines in southern Iran.

Iran’s foreign ministry isn’t having any of it. They’ve pinned the blame squarely on the US for what they’re calling “aggressive and unjustified actions” in the Hormozgan region. That’s the patch of coast that sits right on the Strait of Hormuz — you know, that crucial waterway Iran’s been blocking. That blockade has already sent global energy prices soaring, so this latest flare-up isn’t exactly calming nerves.

And Tehran’s warning? Pretty blunt. “Without a doubt, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not leave any evil unanswered and will not hesitate to defend the Iranian nation,” their statement said.

Now, let’s rewind a bit. The US and Israel kicked off this whole war with Iran back on 28 February with a string of deadly attacks — including one that killed Iran’s supreme leader, cbinews.tv reports. After weeks of fighting, they finally agreed a ceasefire on 8 April. It’s mostly held, apart from one nasty clash earlier in May.

Centcom kept things vague on locations, but an official told the New York Times the strikes were near Bandar Abbas. That’s a big southern port city with an Iranian naval base, right on the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media said locals there heard explosions and officials are now investigating.

The IRGC — Iran’s Revolutionary Guard — reckons they downed a US drone and took shots at a fighter jet that entered Iranian airspace. They didn’t say when, though.

All this is happening while talks to extend the ceasefire are still going on. The big goal is to actually end the conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says a deal is still possible but admits it’ll “take a few days”. One of the sticking points? Tehran wants access to frozen Iranian funds held abroad.

Pakistan’s been doing most of the mediating, but cbinews.tv notes Iranian negotiators have also been chatting with Qatari mediators this week.

So, what impact will these strikes have on the peace talks? That’s the big question — and nobody’s quite sure yet.

Attribution: cbinews.tv

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