DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) 鈥� The U.S. launched strikes on Iran early Wednesday, hours after it revoked a license authorizing the sale of Iranian oil in retaliation for what it said were Tehran鈥檚 attacks on ships . Iran hit back with strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait.
U.S. President Donald Trump said later that the interim agreement with Iran was 鈥渙ver鈥� but he would allow talks to continue. That raised concerns that the in the Middle East could resume 鈥� and oil prices shot up.
鈥淔or me, I think it鈥檚 over,鈥� Trump responded when asked about the status of ceasefire. He added that U.S. representatives can continue negotiations but he cast doubt on the outcome. 鈥淭hey can talk, but I think they鈥檙e wasting their time,鈥� he said.
The attacks on shipping threatened efforts to resume fuel shipments in the strait that are crucial to the global economy.
The crossfire came during the dayslong funeral for Iran鈥檚 , who was killed Feb. 28 in the war鈥檚 first moments. The funeral, which ends Thursday, was supposed to be a period of lower tensions 鈥� though mourners have repeatedly called for the killings of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Negotiations to reach a final deal had been due to start after Khamenei鈥檚 burial and focus on the toughest matters, including and rolling back . But the new attacks throw that into question, though neither country immediately signaled they鈥檇 walk away from the negotiating table.
鈥淭he era of bullying and extortion is over,鈥� Iran鈥檚 Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf wrote on X. 鈥淚t leads nowhere. We don鈥檛 fold.鈥�
Overnight US strikes target Iran
The U.S. military鈥檚 Central Command said American forces launched strikes 鈥渢o impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.鈥�
It said it hit Iranian targets including air defense systems, radars and over 60 small boats used by Iran鈥檚 paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
Those boats have been key to threatening ships in the strait, through which a fifth of the world鈥檚 traded oil and natural gas passed before the war. Iran鈥檚 ability to bring shipping in the waterway to a near halt during the war proved its greatest strategic advantage as rising prices for energy supplies, fertilizer and food put pressure on the U.S. to make a deal. On Wednesday, the price of Brent crude, the international standard, spiked over 5% after Trump鈥檚 comments.
The U.S. military remains 鈥減repared to hold Iran accountable when the agreement is not adhered to or obeyed,鈥� it added, saying this round of attacks had ended.
Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including in Bandar Mahshahr, where a Guard member was killed. It also reported attacks on Bushehr, home to Iran鈥檚 nuclear power plant complex.
On Wednesday morning, both Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy鈥檚 5th Fleet, and Kuwait, home to U.S. Army forces, sounded missile alerts. The Guard issued a statement acknowledging targeting U.S. military installations in both countries.
A similar spate of Iranian attacks on shipping and U.S. retaliatory strikes occurred late last month 鈥� which similarly drew Iranian attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait. Wednesday鈥檚 strikes came as Trump was in Turkey for a .
Anwar Gargash, a senior diplomat in the United Arab Emirates, called Iran鈥檚 attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait 鈥渁 clear indicator that Tehran remains incapable of committing to the requirements of de-escalation and turning the page on war.鈥�
US revokes the license for the sale of Iranian oil
Before the strikes, the U.S. revoked a license that authorized the sale of Iranian oil as part of the interim deal. That paused U.S. sanctions and allowed Iran to conduct oil sales openly for U.S. dollars for the first time in years. Iran long had been suspected of selling sanctioned crude at below-market prices to China.
The decision came after the strikes on shipping. One tanker was off the coast of Oman when it was hit and caught fire, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. Iranian state television said the tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings but did not directly claim the assault.
Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry, said the tanker was carrying Qatari natural gas and called the strike an 鈥渦nacceptable attack鈥� on international navigation and global energy security. He said Qatar, which has been a key mediator alongside Pakistan in the talks, holds Iran 鈥渇ully legally responsible.鈥�
The other two ships sustained some damage, but no one was injured, and both continued on their way, the U.K. agency said.
Iran and the United States agreed to allow ships to pass through the strait without paying charges for 60 days. But Tehran has insisted it must control the vessels鈥� routes and vowed to later charge fees for passage. That would upend decades of practice in the waterway. The ships attacked Tuesday all appeared to be using a route close to Oman鈥檚 shore, rather than one ordered by Tehran.
say they will not agree to Iran charging for passage through the strait.
Mourners attend Khamenei’s funeral services in Iraq
Funeral ceremonies for Khamenei were held Wednesday in the Iraqi city of Najaf. Attending the services are Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other Iranian as well as Iraqi officials, including Prime Minister Ali Falah al-Zaidi. There will be funeral prayers later at the Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala as well.
Khamenei鈥檚 son, , has yet to make an appearance at the ceremonies, which began Saturday in Tehran. He is believed to be in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the airstrike that killed his father.
Khamenei鈥檚 body will then be returned to Iran to be buried Thursday at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace.
___
Kim reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran; Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Najaf, Iraq; and Collin Binkley in Washington contributed.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
