US new airstrikes & Tehran targeting Bahrain, Kuwait & Qatar

The US launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in crossfire that again threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war in the Persian Gulf.

US President Donald Trump says Washington had "already won militarily" after launching more strikes on Iran on Thursday.

Trump did not confirm whether this marks a return to full-scale conflict.

TRUMP: "We just hit them very hard. And I say we hit them 20 to 1. Every time they hit us, we're going to hit them 20. And we did it last night. We did a little something today, but it was really retribution for last night. They hit actually three boats, not two. And when they hit, we hit back much harder. (Are we returning to a full scale military conflict, sir?) I don't know. I don't know, but we'll win it very quickly. It's another way of doing. We have many ways we can win, but we've already won militarily. They have very little. They have very little left, and they want to make a deal so badly. They called a little while ago. They want to make a deal so badly. I just don't know if they're worthy of making a deal. I don't know that they're going to honor the deal. That's the problem."

Washington says the strikes were intended to "further degrade" Iran's ability "to threaten freedom of navigation" in the Strait of Hormuz rough which a fifth of the world's traded oil and natural gas passed before the war began with US and Israeli attacks on February 28th.

Iranian state media reports explosions in several locations, including Bushehr, home to Iran's nuclear power plant complex, and the southern port cities of Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Abbas and Sirik.

Tehran responded by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.

Bahrain is home to the US Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a key negotiator in talks seeking a permanent end to the war, says the US "still hasn't learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free."

Iran asserts the interim ceasefire deal gives it the right to manage traffic through the strait.

Attacks have repeatedly threatened the shaky ceasefire.

Renewed conflict could engulf the wider Middle East and would likely again halt energy shipments through the strait.