The United States and Iran, deadlocked in war-ending negotiations, exchanged armed actions once again. US President Donald Trump predicted that reaching a deal with Iran could take more time.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement Friday saying it had launched ballistic missiles at US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain in response to a US attack. The IRGC also said it had struck four tankers that attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without its authorization.
Central Command, which oversees US forces in the Middle East, also posted on X (formerly Twitter) that day and partially confirmed the IRGC's claims. Central Command said, "Just hours after shooting down four suicide attack drones fired toward the Strait of Hormuz, Iran launched seven ballistic missiles at Kuwait and Bahrain." According to Central Command, after shooting down the four Iranian drones, US forces struck coastal surveillance radar bases on Goruk and Qeshm Island to defend against further maritime attacks. Central Command explained, "Of the seven missiles launched by Iran, six were intercepted and the remaining one failed to reach its intended target," adding, "No US casualties have been reported to date." It then dismissed as false Iran's claim that it had struck the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.
Amid this situation, Trump said in an NBC interview Thursday, "Iran has no choice," but added, "It's going to take some time (to reach a deal)." Trump said, "Iran is strong and has a lot of pride," and rebutted public criticism over the prolonged war, saying, "These things take years." Trump went on to claim, "I'm moving very fast, and it's only been three months," and "The Vietnam War lasted 19 years." He added, "People keep asking 'when are you going to win,' but if I were a Democrat, no one would ask that," and said, "Iran still has the capacity to produce drones, launchers, and missiles, but its missile inventory is only 21 to 22 percent (of what it originally held)."
Trump's remarks that day struck a somewhat different tone from his earlier claims that a deal was imminent. Just two days earlier, on Tuesday, Trump had stressed to reporters, "A deal may not happen, but it could come together even over the weekend," and "Theoretically, Iran is quite close to signing the document." Since entering a ceasefire on April 7, the US and Iran have each drafted war-ending proposals but have not reached an agreement. Showing differences over various issues including nuclear abandonment, tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the removal of highly enriched uranium, and the lifting of sanctions, they have continued only intermittent clashes.
