The US launched new strikes against multiple targets in Iran overnight, sparking fears of a renewed conflict.
The military's Central Command announced the strikes were complete about four hours after they began shortly after midnight in Tehran.
The attacks were the latest development in an escalating exchange of strikes that threatens to reignite a full-scale war, which was paused in early April when the two sides agreed to a fragile ceasefire.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said early on Thursday they had launched counter-attacks on 18 US military targets at airbases in Kuwait and Bahrain, and Bahrain's interior ministry said sirens were sounded.
The Iranian top joint military command warned it would fire on any vessel attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely closed for months.
US Central Command denied that the strait was closed, saying commercial ships were still transiting the strait despite Iran's threats.
The US and Iran have traded fire several times since the tentative ceasefire took hold, even as negotiators have unsuccessfully sought an end to the war, now in its fourth month.
The fragile ceasefire has been repeatedly tested by both sides, highlighting the need for sustained diplomatic efforts to prevent a full-scale conflict.
As tensions continue to escalate, the international community is watching with concern, urging both sides to exercise restraint and pursue peaceful resolution.
The escalating exchange of strikes threatens to reignite a full-scale war, highlighting the need for diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions.
