Iran Tears Up Ceasefire MOU, Two U.S. Troops Killed in Drone Attack

The ceasefire memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran has effectively collapsed, pushing the Middle East situation toward all-out war. After two U.S. troops stationed in Jordan were killed in Iran's missile and drone attacks, the United States carried out airstrikes on Iran for the eighth consecutive day. Iran said the agreement was no longer valid, accusing the United States of repeatedly violating the MOU. As both sides continue to retaliate, the front line is expanding beyond the Strait of Hormuz to the entire Gulf region.
■ Immediate retaliation for the deaths of U.S. troops
On the 18th local time, United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had launched new airstrikes against Iran under President Donald Trump's orders. The overnight U.S. strikes, which began on the 11th, entered their eighth day. The United States said the operation was intended to eliminate military threats in the Strait of Hormuz and punish the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for attacking U.S. troops in Jordan the previous day.
The latest strikes targeted the Sirik and Hajabad areas in Hormozgan Province. Sirik is a port city bordering the Strait of Hormuz, while Hajabad is an inland city about 100 kilometers north of Bandar Abbas, the largest port in central Iran. Both areas are considered strategic bases linked to the defense network of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency and Tasnim News Agency reported that Sirik was struck at around 1:30 a.m. local time and Hajabad at around 2:10 a.m. No civilian casualties or damage to major residential or commercial facilities have been reported so far. The U.S. military said the operation was aimed at "further weakening Iran's military capabilities that threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz" and was also "a swift response to the IRGC's attack on U.S. service members in Jordan last night."
Earlier, two U.S. troops stationed in Jordan were killed and one was reported missing in Iran's ballistic missile and drone attacks. In a phone interview with NewsNation, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "Our service members lost their lives. It is very sad," and added, "The core goal of this war is to make sure Iran never obtains nuclear weapons." Asked about Iran's announcement that it would no longer comply with the MOU, he said, "I don't care at all."
■ Iran: "The U.S. signature is worthless"
Iran declared the agreement effectively void, saying the United States had repeatedly violated the ceasefire MOU. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said, "Since the United States is not fulfilling its obligations under the MOU, Iran will no longer comply with the agreement," adding, "There is no reason for Tehran to unilaterally honor an agreement when the other side does not keep its promises."
Mojtaba Khamenei, the supreme leader's son, also criticized the United States in a statement, saying, "It has once again been proven that the U.S. president's signature has neither value nor force."
In response to U.S. airstrikes, Iran also continued attacks targeting civilian facilities in Gulf countries where U.S. troops are stationed, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Qatar. In Kuwait, damage to a power plant, a desalination facility, and part of an oil facility halted power generation equipment, and the international airport temporarily suspended operations. Bahrain issued air raid warnings twice, while Jordan and Qatar said they intercepted Iranian missiles. Saudi Arabia also issued an air raid warning.
km@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-min Reporter