United States President Donald Trump said that the US-Iran ceasefire is over after Tehran attacked a tanker that “ignored repeated warnings.” Trump made the comments as the US military conducted a series of strikes on the Islamic Republic over alleged attacks on three tankers that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
US Allegations: Iran Fired Missiles At Vessels In Strait of Hormuz
On Wednesday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it hit dozens of Iranian ground and naval targets “in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz,” denouncing Tehran for “aggression [that] was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire.”
Iran continues to say that it needs all vessels to obtain its permission to traverse the vital waterway. In response to US attacks, Tehran launched strikes on US military assets in Bahrain and Kuwait. It also claimed to have downed a US drone.
Speaking on the sidelines of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) summit in Ankara, Türkiye, Trump lashed out at the Iranian leadership, calling them “scum,” “cuckoo,” “sick,” “vicious, [and] violent people,” and confirmed that the ceasefire is “over.”
“I don’t want to deal with them… I’ll speak to our negotiators that want to negotiate… [but] as far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them. They’re liars,” he said of the Iranian ruling class.
It is not a surprise that this war has reignited. In the days immediately following the signing of the interim peace deal known as the memorandum of understanding, Iran declared it a US failure, while media outlets and political pundits in Washington said it read as a surrender by the US to Iran.
Iran Declares Memorandum of Understanding A “Record of US Failure”
Iran has vowed to attempt to lift restrictions on vessels traveling in the Strait of Hormuz, but that could be over now, as the war appears to be back on.
More importantly, Israel never ceased its attacks on Lebanon, which was also a key part of the interim peace deal.
Israel Refuses To Leave Lebanon, And May Instigate Conflict With Syria