THE US military launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran overnight, as the fragile ceasefire between the two countries is pushed to the brink.
Explosions rocked the southern port city of Bandar Abbas and nearby coastal areas along the Strait of Hormuz late on Monday.
Targets included a missile launch site and two Iranian boats trying to lay mines in the Strait, according to US Central Command (Centcom).
In a statement, Centcom spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins confirmed that the US conducted the hits in “self-defence”.
“US forces conducted self-defence today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” Hawkins said.
“Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines.
“US Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.”
A military official told Fox News forces “reacted” when they saw two Iranian boats laying mines and a missile site that was targeting American aircraft.
The official said the overnight blitz was not an effort to break the ceasefire.
This comes after Trump warned that Iran’s enriched uranium – used as a fuel in nuclear weapons – should be handed over to the US or destroyed.
As Iran and the US are still exploring a deal to end the war, the President outlined his conditions for handling the material – a major obstacle in the negotiations.
“The Enriched Uranium (Nuclear Dust!) will either be immediately turned over to the US to be brought home and destroyed or, preferably, in conjunction and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place or, at another acceptable location…” he wrote on TruthSocial.
Trump suggested that the Atomic Energy Commission – an agency of the US government – “witness” the event.
Iran stockpiles 440kg of 60 percent enriched uranium, and Israel and the US have long accused the country of building nuclear weapons.
Trump has said his key aim is to prevent Iran from developing the bomb – something that the regime has consistently denied it has plans to achieve.
In an earlier post online, he said talks with the Islamic Republic were going “nicely,” but added an ultimatum: “It will only be a Great Deal for all, or no Deal at all.”
But Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said on Tuesday morning that negotiating a deal with Iran could still “take a few days.”
Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/16410332/us-strikes-iran-trump-warns-hand-over-uranium/