The Ceasefire is Over: US Unleashes 90 Airstrikes on Iran as Trump Warns of '20-to-1' Retaliation
AP via The Hindu
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN — The fragile interim ceasefire in West Asia has violently collapsed. Early Thursday, the United States military executed a massive, coordinated bombardment across Iran, striking approximately 90 military targets in direct retaliation for recent Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Within hours of the American assault, the conflict expanded significantly as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes against US military bases in neighboring Bahrain and Kuwait. As explosions rocked both sides of the Gulf, US President Donald Trump unequivocally declared that the diplomatic pause was finished, plunging the world’s most critical energy corridor back into a state of active warfare.
US Unleashes 90 Strikes Across Iranian Coastline
The staggering scale of the American offensive was confirmed by the US Central Command (CENTCOM). In an official statement posted on X, CENTCOM detailed that US forces targeted "approximately 90 Iranian military targets," systematically dismantling air defence systems, coastal surveillance assets, naval capabilities, and drone storage facilities along the Iranian coastline.
The strikes were explicitly designed to "further degrade Iran's ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz."
The bombardment penetrated deep into Iranian territory, triggering massive explosions across several strategic locations. State media and online footage confirmed heavy damage in:
- Bushehr, home to Iran's critical nuclear power plant complex.
- Chabahar, where the maritime control tower and an IRGC naval base were reportedly devastated.
- Iranshahr Airport, where a US strike damaged the operations building and weather station, tragically resulting in the death of a firefighter.
- Aqqala, where a railway bridge was struck in one of the deepest incursions of this conflict.
- Other coastal and strategic zones including Konarak, Bandar Abbas, Sirik, and Golestan province.
Iran Retaliates: US Bases in Bahrain and Kuwait Targeted
Tehran did not wait long to respond. The IRGC quickly claimed responsibility for a wave of drone and missile attacks directed at American military strongholds in the Gulf.
According to Iranian state television, the IRGC struck "key infrastructure and facilities" at US bases in Arifjan and Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, as well as Juffair and Sheikh Isa in Bahrain. Air raid sirens blared repeatedly across Bahrain, which serves as the critical headquarters for the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.
While the Kuwaiti military confirmed it successfully intercepted incoming hostile drones and missiles, and there were no immediate reports of US casualties, the IRGC issued a chilling warning: any further American aggression would result in immediate strikes on all US military bases across the wider region.
"The Ceasefire is Over": Trump's Ultimatum and Deal Claims
Speaking to the press after departing a NATO summit, President Donald Trump confirmed the collapse of diplomatic efforts. "For me, I think it's over," Trump declared when questioned about the status of the interim agreement. "They can talk, but I think they're wasting their time."
Taking to social media, Trump posted videos of the explosions inside Iran, framing the offensive as strict retribution for the bombing of merchant ships. "If it happens again, it will get much worse!" he warned. He also renewed his highly controversial threats to target Iran's civilian infrastructure, specifically mentioning power plants, desalination facilities, and the vital oil export hub at Kharg Island.
Despite the heavy bombardment, Trump surprisingly claimed that Tehran was actively seeking a diplomatic off-ramp. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he stated, "We have already won militarily. They have very little left... They called a little while ago. They want to make a deal so badly. I just don't know if they're worthy of making a deal."
Highlighting the sheer disproportion of the American response, Trump added, "We just hit them very hard, and I say we hit them 20-to-1 -- every time they hit us, we're going to hit them 20... When they hit, we hit back much harder."
Tehran Vows Action, Not Words
The Iranian leadership vehemently dismissed Trump's rhetoric, promising fierce resistance. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf delivered a stern warning to Washington: "America still hasn't learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free. Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you'll get hit."
Ghalibaf also directly challenged US naval authority in the region, asserting that "The Strait of Hormuz will only open with Iranian arrangements, not American threats."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also condemned the US President's statements. "Addressing the Civilized and Courageous Nation of Iran with derogatory language does not diminish its Greatness," Araghchi stated. "We do not answer vulgarity with vulgarity, but with action: fearlessly and with great valor."
The sudden collapse of the ceasefire shatters the hopes of a permanent settlement, which international observers expected to begin following the funeral of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening days of the conflict this past February.
Our Final Thoughts
The 90 coordinated US airstrikes and the immediate Iranian retaliation signify a terrifying point of no return for the Gulf region. President Trump’s "20-to-1" military doctrine leaves absolutely no room for diplomatic de-escalation, especially when coupled with threats to obliterate civilian infrastructure like Kharg Island. Conversely, Iran’s willingness to directly target the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain proves Tehran is not backing down, despite massive structural losses. With the interim ceasefire officially dead, global markets must now brace for unprecedented disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz—the choke point for the world's energy supply.