The United States and Iran exchanged military strikes over the weekend in what NPR described as the most significant escalation since the sides signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this month.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for launching drone and missile attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday, according to a statement issued via state-run Iranian media, NPR reported. The attempted strikes came hours after new U.S. military action against Iranian targets.
The escalation puts ongoing negotiations for a lasting ceasefire in jeopardy. During a tour of Gulf Arab states last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the United States and Iran were planning to meet on Monday or Tuesday for technical talks.
A tentative ceasefire reached in early April has been punctuated by periodic strike exchanges even as diplomats have worked toward a more permanent settlement, according to prior MSI reporting.