Tensions Soar In Middle East: Will US, Iran Strikes Derail MoU?

Last Updated:June 27, 2026, 18:06 IST

Both the US and Iran accused each other of violating the peace deal reached two weeks ago as they traded strikes in the worst escalation since June 17.

West Asia is once again staring at the prospect of renewed hostilities in the region after the United States and Iran traded aerial strikes in the worst escalation since they signed an interim peace deal to end the four-month war.

Both the US and Iran accused each other of violating the memorandum of understanding reached two weeks ago as Washington hit Iranian targets overnight. On the other hand, Iran said it had struck targets linked to US forces on Saturday in retaliation, with Bahrain reporting drone attacks.

Why Are US, Iran Attacking Each Other?

The exchange of fire began after the US accused Iran of attacking a Singapore-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz earlier in the week. Iran has made a fresh bid to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes, which has begun to reopen over the past two weeks after months of disruption.

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The US Central Command said it targeted Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar positions in response to “unwarranted aggression against commercial shipping by Iranian forces", accusing Tehran of violating the ceasefire.

US President Donald Trump had also denounced what he described as an Iranian drone strike on the vessel, saying, “This is a foolish violation of our ceasefire agreement".

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched retaliatory strikes on US-linked military targets, as Bahrain – which houses the US Navy’s regional headquarters – reported an Iranian drone attack. “These brutal attacks, which targeted Iranian coastal surveillance facilities, are a blatant violation" of the memorandum of understanding to end the war," said the Iranian foreign ministry.

Will It Derail US-Iran Deal?

The latest strikes have put the painstakingly struck US-Iran deal under a lot of pressure, with fresh doubts about whether both sides could move towards peace after such long-standing hostilities. Iran’s push for control of the Strait of Hormuz has also not helped the cause for peace.

However, the unravelling of the MoU is not in the interests of both the US and Iran, and both countries are expected to avoid further escalation after spending months concluding the war that has deeply impacted the global economy and caused oil prices to spike.

For the US, the war is deeply unpopular with Americans, and any escalation is likely to hurt Trump’s chances in the November mid-term elections. For Iran, its economy was already struggling before the war began, and all concessions on the part of the US in MoU – including oil sanctions and frozen assets – would be swept away in case of renewed fighting.

About the Author

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int...Read More

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