Trump threatens Iran “will no longer exist” if the U.S. is forced to restart the war; Tehran announces a third day of retaliatory attacks

The risk of a new round of fighting in the U.S.–Iran war is rising again. The U.S. military said it struck targets in Iran on Saturday in retaliation for a drone attack on the commercial tanker ‘Kiku’ in the Strait of Hormuz. ‘We will respond when and how we choose,’ said Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that U.S. forces had hit several Iranian missile and drone depots, as well as radar installations along Iran’s coast. ‘If it happens again, it is possible that the United States will be forced to restart our large-scale military operations. If that happens, Iran will no longer exist!’ he wrote.

An unnamed U.S. official confirmed that the retaliatory strikes took place on Saturday, and officials said the commercial vessel remained operational and its entire crew was safe. According to CENTCOM, an Iranian one-way attack drone struck the tanker, while another 15 Iranian drones launched at U.S. forces in the region were also intercepted.

Tehran, for its part, announced the start of a third day of retaliatory attacks. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday that it had struck U.S. military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Explosions were reported in Iran’s Kermanshah region; so far there is no confirmation of casualties or damage.

Analysts warn that a full reopening of the hostilities could further destabilise the global energy market, given that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a key route for international oil transport — has only recently begun to recover.