The U.S. ceasefire with Iran is “over,” President Donald Trump told reporters on the sidelines of the Ankara NATO summit, and threatened major new attacks against Iran as early as last night.
World oil prices immediately rose by more than 5%, and stock markets worldwide plummeted on the news.
Trump’s comments came after three days of escalating attacks and counter-attacks in the region.
During a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit, Trump threatened further attacks on Iran. “It may be a big attack, and it’ll knock out a lot of stuff,” he said. Trump pointed to electric plants: “We’ll take them out. I don’t want to do that, but if we have to, we’ll take them out.” He also pointed to desalination plants, which are key for drinking water. “We’ll take them out if we have to. I hate to do that. That’s probably the one I’d like to do least.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte fully backed Trump, calling the renewed US attacks on Iran “absolutely necessary… When you have a ceasefire and Iran is basically violating the ceasefire… I think it is totally crucial that the U.S. forcefully reacts,” Rutte told reporters.
The round of escalation began when three ships, operating as a convoy under U.S. Navy escort, attempted to exit the Strait of Hormuz on Monday without Iranian approval, and were struck by drones.
In response, the US military launched a series of strikes on targets in southern Iran overnight “to impose heavy costs” on Iran. CENTCOM later reported that they had hit “over 80 targets with precision munitions… U.S. forces struck Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats in and near the strait.”
A few hours before the U.S. strikes, the U.S. Treasury Department announced the revocation of the waivers of sanctions on Iran’s oil trade that had been granted in June. The revocation takes effect July 17.
In an Iranian counter-attack, American military facilities in the West Asia region were struck, apparently with drones. IRNA reported that the targets included the US naval and air bases in Bahrain and the Ali Salem air base in Kuwait.
