The fragile truce between the United States and Iran appeared to unravel dramatically on Wednesday after renewed military exchanges prompted US President Donald Trump to declare that the interim ceasefire was effectively over. Speaking on the sidelines of the two-day NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump sharply criticised Iran's leadership, describing it as "sick" and saying he no longer wished to engage with Tehran, even as he indicated that diplomatic channels would remain open.
"To me, I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them anymore. They are scum. They're led by sick people," Trump said. "I'll speak to our negotiators. They want to negotiate—they are good people, but they have to come back to me. As far as I'm concerned, it's just a waste of time dealing with them."
His remarks came just hours after the United States launched overnight strikes on Iranian targets in response to attacks on merchant vessels in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The latest confrontation has heightened concerns over the security of one of the world's most important energy corridors, through which a significant share of global oil shipments passes.
Trump accused Tehran of violating understandings aimed at reducing tensions and used unusually harsh language against the Iranian leadership. Calling Iranian officials "liars, cheats and sick people," he alleged that the government had brutally suppressed domestic protests and accused it of repeatedly escalating conflicts despite opportunities for restraint.
"We attacked, very powerfully, last night, the very dangerous people from Iran," Trump said. "There's something wrong with them. We say, 'Go and do your funeral stuff,' and instead of that, they start shooting rockets at ships yesterday. So we hit them very hard last night."
According to the US Central Command, American forces carried out a series of coordinated strikes targeting Iranian air defence systems, radar installations and more than 60 fast attack boats operated by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The military said the operation was launched after three commercial ships were struck in the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of a wider disruption to international shipping and global energy markets.
Iranian state media confirmed explosions in several parts of the country, including Bandar Mahshahr, where it reported the death of a Revolutionary Guard member. It also reported strikes near Bushehr, home to Iran's nuclear power plant complex, though the extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
Tehran responded by launching strikes targeting US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait. Missile alerts were sounded in both Gulf nations early Wednesday, with Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, and Kuwait, home to key American military installations, activating emergency measures.
The Revolutionary Guard acknowledged carrying out the attacks, accusing Washington of violating the ceasefire by launching airstrikes on coastal bases and civilian facilities in Iran's Hormozgan and Mahshahr provinces. However, the statement did not directly address the attacks on commercial vessels that the United States cited as the trigger for its military response.
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