US Bombs Iranian Ships Despite Ongoing Ceasefire and Peace Negotiations

The U.S. carried out “self-defense” strikes against southern Iran, sinking two Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz while claiming they were attempting to lay mines. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported shooting down a U.S. Reaper drone that entered Iranian airspace. Negotiations for a potential ceasefire were underway as Iranian negotiators traveled to Qatar to discuss ending the U.S.-Israel war on Iran. A ceasefire was described as chaotic and violated from the start. Ongoing attacks on southern Lebanon were said to delay efforts to end the war and reflect an intention to prolong it. Iranian strikes on U.S. military bases in the region were framed as changing the political reality for Gulf neighbors, signaling that any war would not remain within Iran’s borders.

"“The ‘chaotic’ ceasefire ‘has been violated from day one,’ says Mortazavi, who notes that Israel's continuous attacks on southern Lebanon are delaying attempts to end the war - and that this is exactly the intention of the Israeli government. ‘Clearly, Netanyahu doesn't want this war with Iran to end,’ she says. ‘Every step of escalation is definitely going to harm the final outcome and narrow the path to a final agreement.’”"

"“The U.S. attacked southern Iran Sunday in what the Pentagon called ‘self-defense’ strikes. The U.S. sank two Iranian ships, claiming they were attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it shot down a U.S. Reaper drone that entered Iranian airspace. It comes as Iranian negotiators traveled to Qatar to discuss a potential ceasefire deal to end the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.”"

"“The Iranian message is: If war comes to us, it will not stay inside our borders.”"

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