U.S. and Iran Exchange Strikes After Ceasefire Collapse

President Trump said late Wednesday he does not know if the U.S. and Iran are returning to full-scale war after the sides resumed strikes. The U.S. military conducted 170 strikes on Iranian targets over two days. Trump ordered the strikes after Iranian forces fired on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump posted videos and images of the strikes on Truth Social.

He said the action was in retribution for the previous day's attacks on ships. "Every time they hit us, we're going to hit them 20 to 1," the president stated. "This is in retribution for yesterday's bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!" the president posted.

The countries had reached a mid-June memorandum of understanding to stop fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has sought to retain some control over the waterway. Iranian parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said his country will not back down.

"America still hasn't learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free," Ghalibaf stated. "Let me put it plainly: if you strike, you'll get hit," Ghalibaf added.

Gulf nations reported incoming missiles in their airspace on Thursday. Sirens sounded in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The initial strikes in February killed Iran's top leaders and damaged its military infrastructure. Iran responded by restricting oil traffic near its shores, which lifted gas prices. Trump spoke as he returned from the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.