Iran continues attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait as peace talks with US stagger on amid Trump-Netanyahu rift
The attempted strikes come as protracted peace talks continue between the US and Iran
Iran attempted strikes on Bahrain, Kuwait and other regional targets on Wednesday, the US military has claimed as peace talks in the Gulf stagger on.
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Two Iranian missiles fired at Kuwait failed in flight before more than three ballistic missiles aimed elsewhere were intercepted, US Central Command (CENTCOM) says.
Bahrain and Kuwait are countries which host sizable US military bases and have been repeated targets since the onset of the war in February.
CENTCOM said it also foiled a drone attack on civilian shipping in the Gulf before responding with a strike on Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz.
Read More: Marco Rubio insists US will 'win' Iran war after Trump 'tells Netanyahu everyone hates him'
The confirmation from CENTCOM came after US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, insisted that the Trump administration was "not a social worker" and would "win" the Iran war it started nearly four months ago.
The Secretary of State answered questions on the ongoing conflict in back-to-back hearings on Capitol Hill for the first time since the war in Iran started.
He announced, “I also remind everybody that the United States Government is not a charity. We are not here to play social worker. We are here to win.”
On Monday, the US President posted on TruthSocial: "Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP."
However, doubt had earlier been cast over the negotiations and following continued exchanges of fire.
Iran accused Israel of violating the agreement’s terms by bombing the proxy group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Iran has cut off diplomatic ties to the US and has threatened to fully close the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's state-affiliated news outlet Tasnim reported on Monday.
The country’s top negotiators believe that Israel violated the ceasefire by continuing to carry out attacks on Hezbollah allies in Lebanon and have stopped communicating with the US through Pakistani mediators.
Tehran announced that “no dialogue will take place” until Israel fully withdraws from Lebanon and stops attacks in Gaza, Tasnim reported.
The strikes on Lebanon preceded reports that Trump lashed out at Benjamin Netanyahu in an enraged phone call on Monday.
The furious US president reportedly chastised the Israeli Prime Minister for his strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon, telling him, “Everybody hates Israel” because of his actions.
It was later revealed that a partial truce had been agreed between Israel and Hezbollah, and Trump claimed that the conversation had been “very productive”.
In a shocking twist, behind closed doors, the US President is said to have accused Netanyahu of being “f****** crazy” Axios reported – citing two anonymous US officials close to the call.
“You’re f****** crazy. You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving your a**. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,” Trump said, according to the source.