US-Iran Clashes Threaten April Ceasefire
Iran's Revolutionary Guards struck a US military base on Thursday. This was in response to US strikes on Iranian drone operations near the Strait of Hormuz.
The US had also struck southern Iran earlier that day. US ally Kuwait was drawn into the fighting too.
These are the worst clashes since a ceasefire began in early April. That ceasefire ended a three-month war between the US and Iran.
Hours before the clashes Trump declined a report that he was close to a deal with Tehran. Oil prices rose 3% on Thursday after the strikes.
Markets were worried about shipping through the Strait of Hormuz being disrupted. The clashes now threaten ongoing peace talks between the two countries. The Strait of Hormuz has become a key dispute in those talks.
Klear Note — A ceasefire between the US and Iran began in early April after a three-month war. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical shipping route for global oil. Disruptions there affect oil prices worldwide.
Key Terms 4
- Revolutionary Guards Iran's most powerful military force reporting directly to its top leaders
- Strait of Hormuz Narrow sea passage between Iran and Oman used for global oil shipping
- Ceasefire An agreement to stop fighting temporarily
- Tehran The capital city of Iran