President Donald Trump announced Wednesday night that the ceasefire with Iran has ended as the U.S. military launched a second consecutive night of air strikes [1, 2].
The escalation marks a significant breakdown in diplomatic efforts to stabilize the Persian Gulf, threatening global energy markets and regional security.
Trump made the announcement during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey [1, 2]. He said the decision followed Iranian attacks on bases in Kuwait and Bahrain that host U.S.-linked forces [3].
"The ceasefire is over," Trump said [1].
U.S. officials said the air strikes targeted Iranian assets to degrade the country's ability to threaten navigation in the Strait of Hormuz [1, 2]. The operation follows a three-week ceasefire arrangement that had previously been in place [3].
Trump expressed frustration with the diplomatic process, describing the attempt to reach an agreement as "a waste of time dealing with them" [2].
The shift in military posture had an immediate impact on global markets. Oil prices rose by five percent [2] after Trump said negotiations were over.
The U.S. military has not released specific casualty figures or a full list of targeted sites, but the strikes focused on capabilities that could disrupt shipping lanes in the strategic waterway [1, 2].
“"The ceasefire is over."”
The collapse of the three-week truce indicates a pivot back to a policy of maximum pressure. By targeting assets in the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. is prioritizing the security of global oil transit, but the simultaneous attacks on bases in Kuwait and Bahrain suggest a widening conflict that could draw in multiple Gulf Cooperation Council members.
