The United States again carried out missile strikes on various targets in Iran on Friday. At the same time US President Donald Trump warned of “major military punishment” against Tehran and Yemen’s Houthi rebels. But he also did not rule out the possibility of a diplomatic understanding with Iran. The conflict intensified again after the interim ceasefire agreement made two weeks ago broke down. In response, Iran struck US military bases in neighbouring Arab countries and warned that civilian facilities used by US personnel could also be targeted. The news agency Reuters reported this.
In recent days Trump has threatened strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure and bridges, sending ground forces to seize the Kharg Island oil hub, and bombing an underground nuclear-related facility known as “Pickaxe Mountain.” On Friday, however, he told journalists he had not yet taken a final decision on fresh major strikes. Trump said: “We are talking to them. I think this time they are really negotiating seriously. But that does not mean we will necessarily reach an understanding.”
Asked about a strategy for getting out of the war, he said one path is to intensify military operations further and destroy all their capabilities. Another, the more intelligent course, is to reach an agreement. But he added in warning: “We are fully prepared. If necessary, action will be taken immediately.” Trump also said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit the United States next week, with a meeting between the two leaders due on Tuesday. By that time the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran will have run to five months. The Strait of Hormuz, the gateway to the Persian Gulf, remains the focal point of the conflict. Thousands of people have been killed in the roughly five-month war. Inflation has also risen in world markets and fears of a global economic recession have grown stronger.
The United States carried out air strikes on Iran for the 13th night in a row from late Thursday night to early Friday. Iran’s health ministry said that since the fighting resumed in late June, 59 people have been killed and 666 wounded in US strikes. Citing the head of Iran’s supreme joint military command, the country’s media said one US soldier would be killed for every Iranian killed. On the other side, 18 US soldiers have been killed in this war so far. According to the Pentagon, at least 100 soldiers have been wounded since 7 July. US officials have said, however, that the total number of wounded is already more than 500.
Diplomatic sources said Pakistan is looking for a way to restart the suspended talks between the United States and Iran. China also supports the initiative. Three Pakistani sources claim that preliminary discussions on the matter took place this week during a visit to Islamabad by Iran’s interior minister, Eskandar Momeni. It was his second visit to Pakistan in the past 10 days. Meanwhile, because of Houthi attacks, several oil tankers have changed course and begun sailing towards Asia around Africa via the Suez Canal, a much longer and costlier route. On Friday the price of Brent crude fell by more than four dollars from the previous day to a little over 96 dollars a barrel. Earlier, on news of an attack on a Saudi tanker, the price had risen 7 percent to above 100 dollars, the highest since May.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report