WASHINGTON — The United States and Iran exchanged new military strikes on Saturday, further undermining a preliminary peace agreement reached last month as both governments accused each other of violating the accord and raised concerns over a broader regional escalation.
U.S. officials said American forces carried out strikes against Iranian military-related targets, describing the operation as a response to what Washington said were Iranian actions that breached the terms of the interim memorandum of understanding intended to reduce hostilities and restore commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian authorities said their forces responded after what they called repeated U.S. violations of the agreement, maintaining that Tehran had acted in self-defense. Iranian officials have continued to argue that disputes over navigation and security arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz lie at the center of the breakdown in the ceasefire framework.
The preliminary agreement, reached in June with mediation involving regional partners, was intended to halt direct military operations, reopen the strategic waterway to commercial shipping and create a framework for further negotiations on unresolved issues. Those issues included long-term maritime security arrangements and other disputes that negotiators left for subsequent talks.
Both sides have blamed each other for the latest deterioration. U.S. officials have said Iran failed to uphold commitments under the memorandum, while Iranian officials contend Washington violated the agreement through military action and policy decisions affecting the accord's implementation. Independent verification of the competing claims has not been possible.
The renewed exchanges have heightened concerns among regional governments and international organizations about the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy transit route. Earlier this month, the United Nations called on both countries to exercise maximum restraint and preserve the ceasefire process while diplomatic efforts continued.
Officials involved in mediation efforts have continued to urge both governments to return to negotiations despite the latest hostilities. Previous understandings had envisaged technical discussions on implementing the memorandum after an initial cessation of fighting.
As of Saturday, neither Washington nor Tehran had announced a new comprehensive ceasefire, and no official timetable for renewed high-level negotiations had been confirmed.
