Washington, USA — This week, the United States carried out multiple waves of strikes against Iranian military targets, saying the operations were intended to further weaken Iran’s military capabilities amid the revival of naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest escalation comes despite the Memorandum of Understanding signed last month, which was intended to reduce tensions between the two countries but is now fragile.
Iran, in turn, launched retaliatory attacks against several US military facilities across the Middle East and said that the Hormuz is closed. Similar actions were carried out before the MOU that followed the joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28.
With both sides continuing tension, questions have emerged over whether diplomacy between Washington and Tehran has completely collapsed.
Speaking during a White House press briefing on Wednesday, July 16, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran continues to communicate with the United States despite suffering what she described as significant military setbacks on Tehran after a conversation with US President Donald Trump.
Following this, Leavitt also defended the latest US strikes, saying Washington acted after Tehran allegedly violated the Memorandum by attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
It can be recalled that the operation was launched in response to Iran’s alleged attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Hormuz last week. The same week Trump announced that the MOU is over.
Meanwhile, in his address to the nation on Wednesday also, President Trump said the United States was “winning big” in Iran.
Iran has yet to officially respond to the White House’s latest statement.