HEADLINES IN BRIEF 

• US President Donald Trump says the ceasefire with Iran is "over" (READ MORE BELOW)

• US strikes over 80 Iranian targets overnight (READ MORE BELOW)

• Iran resumes strikes on US military sites in the Gulf region (READ MORE BELOW)

• Mark Rutte of NATO backs US strikes, calling them "absolutely necessary" 

• US revokes license allowing Iran to sell oil following strikes on three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz

• China’s Foreign Ministry says “reigniting the flames of war does not serve anyone’s interests” (READ MORE BELOW)

US President Donald Trump says the ceasefire with Iran is ‘over’ 

U.S. President Donald Trump said he believes the ceasefire between the United States and Iran is effectively over, dismissing further negotiations as pointless.

Trump had previously described the ceasefire agreement as being on ‘life support, but when speaking to reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said: "I think it's over" and added that negotiators from both sides "can talk" but are "wasting their time." He also described Iran's leaders as "liars" and said he no longer wanted to deal with them.

"I don't want to deal with them anymore, they're scum. You know what scum is? They're scum. They're sick people. They're led by sick people. And they're vicious, violent people”, Trump added.

US strikes over 80 Iranian targets overnight 

U.S. Central Command said it struck more than 80 targets in Iran, including over 60 small boats linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the Strait of Hormuz.

The U.S. said the strikes were carried out in response to recent attacks on commercial vessels travelling through the strategic waterway, though Tehran has not directly claimed responsibility for those incidents.

UK Maritime Trade Operations reported several attacks on tankers in recent days, including one vessel that suffered a fire after an unknown projectile struck its engine room, while two others reported being hit near the Strait of Hormuz. One tanker sustained minor structural damage but was able to continue to its destination.

CENTCOM said the operation aimed to "impose heavy costs" after attacks on commercial shipping carrying civilian crews in international waters.

Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including Bandar Mahshahr, where a member of the IRGC was killed, and Bushehr, home to Iran’s nuclear power plant complex.

Iran resumes strikes on US military sites in the Gulf region

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it launched a combined missile and drone operation targeting 85 U.S. military sites, including locations in Bahrain and Kuwait, and claimed it had shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone.

The IRGC accused Washington of violating the ceasefire and the "Islamabad understanding," saying the strikes were in response to U.S. actions earlier in the conflict.

Kuwait’s armed forces said they intercepted two ballistic missiles and 13 drones that entered its airspace, adding that the incident caused no casualties or material damage.

Fighting in no-one's interest, says China

Resumed fighting in the Middle East serves no one's interests, and military means cannot solve the fundamental issue, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a press briefing in Beijing on Wednesday.

Mao responded to a media inquiry on the Middle East.

"We are closely monitoring the latest developments in the Middle East. Resumed fighting serves no one's interests, and military means cannot solve the fundamental problems. We urge the U.S. and Iran to implement the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and avoid resorting to force," said Mao.