Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday said his country was prepared to resume its military campaign against Iran if needed, vowing to do so "with even greater force". "The army is ready and on alert for a resumption of fighting, in order to regain air superiority and strike again... in Iran, to eliminate threats, including a third time if necessary. If we have to go back, we will go back, with even greater force," Katz said at a military ceremony. The United States launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by targeting Middle East countries in an exchange of fire that threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war in the region. Back-and-forth attacks, including a day earlier, have repeatedly threatened the ceasefire. But Thursday’s appeared bigger all around, with sirens sounding at least three times in Bahrain, and missiles targeting Kuwait and Qatar. The strikes came hours after US President Donald Trump said recent Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz signaled the end of a fragile ceasefire and threatened to escalate the conflict if they didn't stop. That raised concerns that the region could tip back into a war that would engulf several countries and could halt energy shipments through the strait that are crucial for the global economy.
