"The Trump administration, sidestepping a widening battle in and around the Strait of Hormuz, said it was anticipating a reply from Tehran on Friday on its latest terms for ending the war. "I hope it's a serious offer," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a visit to Italy, even as U.S. warplanes struck and disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers that the U.S. Central Command said were attempting to violate its naval blockade by entering an Iranian port along the Gulf of Oman."
"Rubio's Iranian counterpart warned that President Donald Trump was stepping into "another quagmire." In a social media post, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, "Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the U.S. opts for a reckless military adventure. Is it a crude pressure tactic?" The comments came as the United Arab Emirates said that its air defense systems had engaged two ballistic missiles and three drones launched from Iran."
"In the continuing exchange of hostilities, the Iranian military claimed it had struck and damaged three U.S. destroyers Thursday with ballistic and cruise missiles and drones in retaliation for a U.S. attack on an Iranian merchant ship Wednesday, but Trump said the destroyers had exited the strait unscathed. Tehran described both the Wednesday and Thursday U.S. attacks as a violation of the temporary ceasefire declared in early April."
"The Trump administration has tried to separate its blockade operation from its brief "Project Freedom" mission to clear a transit path through the strait using warships, jets and drones. Trump called a temporary halt to Project Freedom earlier this week - after little more than a day of running operations - at the request of regional partners to allow negotiations on a peace agreement to proceed."
The Trump administration said it expected a reply from Tehran on Friday regarding new terms for ending the war while avoiding escalation around the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. warplanes struck and disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers attempting to enter an Iranian port along the Gulf of Oman, according to U.S. Central Command. Marco Rubio said he hoped the offer would be serious. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that the U.S. repeatedly chooses military action over diplomacy. The UAE reported engaging two ballistic missiles and three drones launched from Iran. Iran claimed it struck and damaged three U.S. destroyers in retaliation for a U.S. attack on an Iranian merchant ship, while Trump said the destroyers exited unscathed. Iran said both U.S. attacks violated a temporary ceasefire declared in early April. The U.S. also paused “Project Freedom,” a mission to clear a transit path through the strait, to allow negotiations.
#strait-of-hormuz #us-iran-tensions #naval-blockade #ballistic-missiles-and-drones #ceasefire-negotiations
Read at The Washington Post
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