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World
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened "one way or another" following recent US military strikes on Iranian targets.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened "one way or another" after the US military conducted new strikes against targets in Iran, raising questions about the possibility of reaching a deal to end the war in the Middle East.
Speaking to journalists during an official visit to India, Rubio said, "The straits must be open. They will be opened one way or another, so they must be open." He added, "What is happening there is illegal, illegitimate, unsustainable for the world, and unacceptable."
During his official visit in Jaipur, Rubio also mentioned, "Some talks took place in Qatar today, and we will see if we can make any progress. I think there are many discussions ongoing about specific points in the preliminary document, so it will take a few days." He continued, "Trump expressed his desire to reach an agreement. Either he makes a good deal or no deal at all."
Commenting on the latest US attacks, Rubio said, "The straits must remain open and will remain open one way or another."
The US Central Command (Centcom) announced early Tuesday that its forces carried out what it described as "defensive" strikes targeting sites in southern Iran, as part of efforts to protect US forces from Iranian threats.
Tim Hawkins, a Centcom spokesperson, told the American network Fox News that the strikes targeted missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to plant mines, emphasizing that the operation was conducted under a policy of "self-defense."
Hawkins added that US forces "continue to protect their personnel with restraint" despite the ongoing ceasefire agreement.
According to the Fars news agency on Tuesday, the number of casualties among the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy increased to four following the US attack in the Gulf waters.
The agency reported that fighter jets targeted two Revolutionary Guard boats near Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the deaths of four Iranian personnel and the destruction of the two boats, amid escalating tensions in the region's maritime passages.
Meanwhile, the Bedari Melli platform stated that the attack on the two fast boats belonging to the Revolutionary Guard, which killed four naval personnel, did not occur in the early hours of Tuesday but rather about 48 hours earlier.
The platform added that Iranian media were pressured not to publish details of the incident at the time, fearing its impact on ongoing negotiations and political communications related to regional and international understandings.
Local reports indicated explosions were heard in the cities of Isfahan and Babolsar, while Iranian media reported that the runway of Bandar Abbas International Airport was hit by a missile during the nighttime attacks.
The Daneshjoo agency announced the deaths of Abbas Eslami, Ghadarat Zarnakari, and Abdolreza Kalzari, all members of the Revolutionary Guard, in an attack targeting southern Larak Island on Monday evening, noting that the final death toll has not yet been determined.
