NATO Chief Backs U.S. Strikes on Iran as ‘Absolutely Necessary’ Amid Escalating Retaliatory Attacks
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has thrown his full support behind the latest U.S. military strikes on Iran, declaring them “absolutely necessary” following Tehran’s alleged violations of the ceasefire agreement. Speaking to reporters ahead of a NATO leaders’ meeting in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday, Rutte stated, “When you have a ceasefire and Iran is basically violating the ceasefire, I think it is totally crucial that the U.S. forcefully react” . The remarks came after U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed it had struck more than 80 targets in Iran, including air defense systems, command networks, and over 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vessels, in response to attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The situation has escalated dramatically, with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announcing on Wednesday that it had targeted 85 U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait in retaliation for the American strikes . Iran also claimed to have shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone . The Iranian parliament speaker has condemned the U.S. action as a “serious violation” of the bilateral memorandum of understanding . As tit-for-tat strikes intensify, the international community is closely watching the deteriorating situation in the region.
