[Anchor]

The U.S. military has resumed airstrikes against Iran, citing them as a response to Iran's attack on a merchant vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated by striking U.S. military bases in the Middle East, causing tensions between the two nations to escalate once again.

Reporter Yu Deok-gi has the story.

[Reporter]

This is the video released by the U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, showing U.S. aircraft striking Iranian missile and drone storage facilities, as well as coastal radar sites, on June 26 local time.

Central Command stated that it took strong action because Iran had clearly violated a ceasefire agreement and undermined the freedom of navigation by attacking a merchant ship.

Previously, on June 25 local time, Iran launched a drone attack on a Singaporean merchant ship attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

President Trump had pointed out that it was a "clearly foolish violation of the ceasefire agreement" and hinted at the possibility of a response, and shortly thereafter, the U.S. made the airstrikes against Iran public.

[Donald Trump/President of the United States: Iran should not do that (attack merchant ships). (Will you respond? What is your message to Iran?) You will find out soon.]

This marks the first time the U.S. military has conducted airstrikes against Iran just nine days after the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on ending the war between the two sides went into effect.

Iran immediately responded with military action.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran stated in a press release that it had struck U.S. military bases in the Middle East.

Iran confirmed the U.S. attack, stating that the U.S. had targeted the Sirik region near the Strait of Hormuz on the grounds that the ship was passing through an unauthorized route.

Iran then accused the U.S. of being the one to violate the ceasefire agreement.

Furthermore, claiming that the authority to control the Strait of Hormuz lies with Iran under the MOU, it warned that the violation of the ceasefire would lead the U.S. to regret its actions.

The observation that both sides would refrain from military action and approach the situation cautiously, given that the ceasefire MOU is in effect, has been shattered.

The U.S.-Iran ceasefire MOU stipulates the immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts.

With working-level talks on the ceasefire MOU between the U.S. and Iran scheduled for next week, the peace negotiations now face a critical test.

Reported by Yu Deok-gi | Video by Kim Byeong-jik