US Launches Strikes on Iran Amid Escalating Military Tensions and Iranian Calls for Negotiation

On the night between Wednesday and Thursday, the US Central Command announced a new wave of military strikes against Iranian infrastructure, ordered by President Donald Trump. The attacks targeted key Iranian assets, including two railway bridges in northern Iran, marking a significant escalation since the ceasefire that was in place until April 8. The strikes aim to diminish Iran's ability to threaten maritime freedom in the Strait of Hormuz following recent attacks on commercial vessels.

In retaliation, Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for missile attacks on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Pro-Iranian media also reported explosions at the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and air raid sirens at a US base in Jordan, prompting local authorities to activate air defense systems and instruct civilians to seek shelter.

President Trump, speaking from Air Force One while returning from a NATO summit in Turkey, stated that Iran urgently sought negotiations but expressed skepticism about their trustworthiness. He warned of a much stronger US response to any future attacks, saying, "Every time they hit us, we will respond twenty times stronger." On the social media platform Truth Social, he added that any further aggression would provoke even worse consequences.

Iranian officials responded defiantly. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned the US that bullying would come at a high price, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi promised a response to Trump's criticisms and thanked Iraqi authorities for their hospitality following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The current crisis follows months of instability in Tehran after Khamenei's death in February, with a power struggle between the hardline Revolutionary Guards and more moderate political figures.

Meanwhile, US Senator Bernie Sanders criticized the military campaign as irresponsible and costly in both lives and taxpayer money. Fox News host Mark Levin called for the elimination of the Iranian regime, labeling it a "terrorist regime" responsible for breaking the ceasefire. The US also conducted a planned aircraft change at the RAF Mildenhall base in Britain, with Trump switching to a new Air Force One gifted by Qatar.

The situation remains volatile, with ongoing military exchanges and diplomatic uncertainty over Iran's internal divisions and the legitimacy of any potential negotiations.