NATO Chief: Latest US Strikes On Iran 'absolutely necessary'

ANKARA, July 8 (dpa) - NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has backed overnight strikes by US forces on more than 80 sites in Iran, carried out in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

"I think it was absolutely necessary because when you have a ceasefire and Iran is basically violating the ceasefire. We've seen what happened yesterday with ships being attacked," Rutte said on Wednesday in Ankara on the sidelines of the alliance's summit.

"I think it is totally crucial that the US forcefully reacts," Rutte said ahead of consultations with the leaders of NATO's 32 members, including US President Donald Trump.

Kuwait came under attack and air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain on Wednesday morning after Iranian media reported that the country's military had earlier signalled it would respond to the US strikes.

--NNN-dpa