US launches second day of strikes against Iran

{"text":[[{"start":6.2,"text":"The US military said it had launched strikes against Iran for a second day, inflaming tensions hours after President Donald Trump said he considered the ceasefire with Tehran was “over”."}],[{"start":17.35,"text":"American forces began “additional strikes against Iran to further degrade their ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz”, US Central Command said on Wednesday afternoon in Washington."}],[{"start":29.700000000000003,"text":"The US hit more than 80 Iranian military targets in a wave of strikes on Tuesday night, according to Centcom, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, after Iran attacked three commercial ships in the strait."}],[{"start":42.75,"text":"“This is in retribution for yesterday’s bombing of ships by Iran. If it happens again, it will get much worse!” Trump posted on Truth Social shortly after the strikes began, alongside an image of burning buildings."}],[{"start":56.85,"text":"The renewed clashes have fractured a ceasefire that promised to reopen the strait to oil shipments, sending global energy prices sharply higher."}],[{"start":65.1,"text":"The president later told reporters on Air Force One that Iran had “called a little while ago, they want to make a deal so badly” without specifying which Iranian officials had contacted the White House.“I just don’t know if they are worthy of making a deal. I don’t know that they’re going to honour the deal. That’s the problem,” Trump said, as he flew back to Washington from the Nato summit."}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":84.75,"text":"Speaking at the summit in Ankara earlier on Wednesday, Trump used some of his most bellicose language since Tehran and Washington agreed to extend the ceasefire last month, calling Iran’s leaders “scum” and “sick people” and promising further strikes."}],[{"start":99.8,"text":"“As far as I’m concerned, it’s over,” Trump said of the ceasefire. "}],[{"start":103.75,"text":"But the US president said he does not think he will return to a full-blown war with Iran. “I don’t think it’s going to start again,” Trump said. “I think anything that happens is going to be over very quickly.”"}],[{"start":116,"text":"The renewed tensions between Washington and Tehran pushed oil prices higher. Brent crude rose 1.4 per cent to $79.09 a barrel as trading began in Asia on Thursday. Brent had traded above $80 on Wednesday, its highest level in more than two weeks."}],[{"start":134.1,"text":"Trump said that during Tuesday’s strikes the US had hit Iran’s Kharg Island, through which about 90 per cent of the country’s oil is exported, and reiterated a threat to “take over” the hub."}],[{"start":145.35,"text":"The US also targeted dozens of Iranian fast boats, underground facilities holding missiles and coastal defence, radar and surveillance sites, according to Centcom."}],[{"start":155.25,"text":"Early on Thursday in Iran, local media reported air strikes at several locations along the country’s southern coast, including the port city of Bushehr, where Iran has a Russian-operated nuclear power plant."}],[{"start":167.3,"text":"Attacks also damaged two docks and the maritime traffic control tower in Chabahar, and cut off electricity to parts of the city, according to Tasnim, the semi-official news agency affiliated to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards."}],[{"start":179.9,"text":"Since the latest ceasefire agreement in mid-June, Iran has attacked five vessels, including tankers belonging to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, in the strait, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas previously passed."}],[{"start":192.95000000000002,"text":"Vice-president JD Vance told reporters on Wednesday that the US would keep striking Iran until the issue was resolved."}],[{"start":199.95000000000002,"text":"“The president has said to them . . . the Strait of Hormuz is going to be open. That means oil and gas is going to flow to the American people,” Vance told reporters during a trip to Wisconsin. “The deal is very simple. If they shoot at ships, we’re going to knock the hell out of them.”"}],[{"start":215.85000000000002,"text":"The Revolutionary Guards said its forces responded to Tuesday’s US attacks with missile and drone strikes on Wednesday targeting 85 sites at US military facilities in the Middle East."}],[{"start":227.90000000000003,"text":"While many Nato leaders avoided commenting on the strikes during the summit, the alliance’s secretary-general Mark Rutte said they were “absolutely necessary” to punish Iran for breaching the ceasefire."}],[{"start":241.00000000000003,"text":"Despite the criticism of Nato, Trump ended up declaring the meeting “very successful”. After a closed-door session with fellow leaders, he said: “There was tremendous love in that room. They have a lot of good in their heart, not evil, good, and they’re doing a great job for their country. The world is doing well.”"}],[{"start":258.8,"text":"He also left the door open to a diplomatic solution in Iran. Despite saying he was “not sure I want to make a deal”, he said his team of negotiators, including Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, might continue to hold talks."}],[{"start":275.5,"text":"Additional reporting by Henry Foy in Ankara, Abigail Hauslohner and James Politi in Washington and Bita Ghaffari in Mashhad"}],[{"start":289,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1783567354_2827.mp3"}