Nato chief defends US strikes on Iran, calls them 'absolutely necessary'
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on Wednesday defended the recent US military strikes on Iran, describing them as "absolutely necessary" and linking the action to Tehran's alleged attack on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.Speaking ahead of the 2026 Nato Summit in Ankara, Rutte said the strikes came after Iran allegedly violated the ceasefire provisions of a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States aimed at ending hostilities in West Asia.
"I think it was absolutely necessary because when you have a ceasefire, Iran is basically violating the ceasefire. We've seen what happened yesterday with ships being attacked. I think it is totally crucial that the US forcefully react," Rutte said. The remarks came after the United States Central Command announced that US forces had carried out a fresh wave of strikes against Iran on July 7, targeting more than 80 sites in response to Tehran's alleged attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.According to CENTCOM, the operation targeted Iranian air defence systems, command-and-control networks, coastal radar installations, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) small boats operating in and around the strategic waterway.The strikes were launched in retaliation for what the US military said were Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz—the Marshall Islands-flagged M/T Al Rekayyat, the Saudi Arabia-flagged M/T Wedyan, and the Liberian-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity."The unwarranted aggression by Iranian forces is a clear and dangerous violation of the ceasefire and undermines freedom of navigation.
CENTCOM forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable when the agreement is not adhered to or obeyed," CENTCOM said in a statement.In response to the US strikes, Iran launched drone and missile attacks targeting US-linked military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, according to Iran's state-affiliated Fars News Agency.Citing the Iranian Army's Public Relations Office, Fars reported that Iranian drones struck the Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain early on Wednesday.The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also said it had carried out a large-scale joint missile and drone operation targeting 85 key US military facilities across Bahrain and Kuwait.The 2026 Nato Summit is being held in Ankara, Türkiye, from July 7 to 8, with leaders focusing on three key priorities including increasing defence spending, strengthening the alliance's defence industrial base and sustaining long-term support for Ukraine.Catch the latest world news and top headlines.
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