US president Donald Trump said an interim agreement to end the war with Iran was “over” and that the United States ‌was likely to launch new strikes following Iranian attacks on US bases in the Gulf. In a flare-up that boosted oil prices by about 7 per cent, Iran said on Wednesday it had attacked US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait after US forces struck Iranian targets in response to attacks on tankers ​in the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks rattled a fragile ceasefire agreement and dented hopes of turning the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17th into a permanent peace deal to end the war, which began with US-Israeli air strikes on Iran on February 28th.“If we make a deal with Iran I’m not sure that will stick,” Trump said, “because I found them to be very dishonourable people.” But Trump said he did not expect a return to full-fledged war, and it was not immediately clear whether the negotiations on reaching a permanent deal would continue.Asked before a Nato summit ​in Turkey whether the memorandum of understanding was over, Trump said: “It’s a very interesting question. To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them.”“As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them,” he told reporters in Ankara, before adding: “Now, I’ll let our wonderful negotiators keep ⁠talking if they want, but I don’t see it. I don’t like these people, you know that.” [ Israel prepares for possibility of renewed full-scale war following US attacks on IranOpens in new window ]A source familiar with the Ankara talks said Trump did not repeat his comments about the interim deal being ‌over ‌when ​Nato leaders met, but he later warned of new strikes before a meeting with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.“I’ll give a little warning: We’re going to hit them hard tonight,” Trump told reporters. At a press conference later, he said he did not think the war would restart: “Anything that happens is going to be over very quickly ... and will only make it safer, including for ⁠oil.” US president Donald Trump speaks to the media at a news conference at the Nato summit in Ankara on Wednesday with several members of his administration nearby. Photograph: Kerem Uzel/Bloomberg Shipping data showed at least four oil and gas tankers had turned back rather than try to ​transit the Strait of Hormuz, central to global energy trade. Iranian state media said eight Iranian service personnel had been killed ​in US strikes on southern Iran. Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the US attacks had violated the memorandum by challenging a clause that “emphasises the Islamic Republic of Iran’s responsibility in determining arrangements for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz”. It ‌was unclear how Iran planned to retaliate in the absence of comment from the hardline ​Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, close to supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and widely believed to be decisively shaping policy since the war began. [ No strait answer as US and Iran are stuck in cycle of strikesOpens in new window ]Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that, to be understood, Iran must speak to Trump in the language ⁠of force. Iran’s Press TV cited an “informed source” as saying Iran would close the strait in the ⁠event of new US attacks. The Revolutionary Guards said they had attacked US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait and shot down a US drone attempting to interfere in the operation. Bahrain’s army later said it had thwarted Iranian attacks.The US had earlier launched strikes and revoked a licence allowing Iran to sell oil, in response to attacks on three tankers in the strait.US Central Command said more than 60 small boats used by the Revolutionary Guards were among the targets ‌hit in an operation intended to impose a heavy cost ⁠on Iran for strikes on shipping in violation of the ceasefire.Trump said the US had “knocked out 28 boats last night” and would probably hit more later. He confirmed the US had attacked Iran’s main oil hub of Kharg Island and, repeating a warning that US forces could take over the island, said: “They may hit it again tonight.” – Reuters