U.S. President Donald Trump terminated the ceasefire agreement and launched two waves of military operations, citing Iran's attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. According to a report by the British newspaper The Independent, this sharp turnaround within 24 hours at the White House took shape after a tense meeting in the Oval Office.
Critical Meeting in the Oval Office
During the meeting on Monday evening ahead of the NATO summit, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed President Trump that three commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz had been targeted by Iranian forces. According to the report, Trump asked, 'Is Iran negotiating in good faith?' and after assessing the situation with his advisors, concluded that Tehran was no longer on the path to negotiations.
End of the Ceasefire Agreement
Just a few weeks ago, Trump had described the Iranian leadership as 'rational' and praised the memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 in Versailles as 'an important step toward ending the war.' However, after the new attacks, the President declared 'the deal is over' and deemed further negotiations 'a waste of time.'
Military Operations Launched
According to The Independent, Trump ordered two waves of airstrikes against Iran, targeting Iranian positions, ports, and boats. At the same time, sanctions on Iran's oil exports were reimposed. The U.S. military announced that the strikes aimed to 'make Iran pay a heavy price for attacking civilian ships in international waters.' U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance said, 'If ships are fired upon, there will be a ruthless military response.'
Fundamental Deadlocks of the Agreement
The British newspaper wrote that the temporary ceasefire agreement carried the seeds of failure from the start. The agreement did not address the most complex issues, such as Iran's nuclear program, the future of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and the repercussions of the war in Lebanon. Former U.S. State Department official Nate Swanson assessed, 'The deal actually solved nothing; it merely postponed the fundamental disagreements to a later date.'
Diplomacy Door Remains Ajar
Despite the military escalation, Trump did not completely close the diplomatic channel, saying, 'Negotiators can continue talks if they wish.' However, The Independent noted that the remaining time is less than six weeks and that problems have become even more complex since the war began, indicating limited hopes for a lasting solution.
