Trump Declares Iran Ceasefire 'Over' as U.S. and Iran Trade Heavy Strikes

U.S. and Iran Exchange Intense New Attacks After Trump Declares Ceasefire ‘Over’

President Trump’s dramatic declaration at a NATO summit has plunged the fragile truce into uncertainty as both nations exchange heavy fire and sanctions are reinstated.

In a stunning development that threatens to reignite full-scale conflict in the Middle East, President Donald Trump has declared the temporary ceasefire with Iran “over” following the worst exchange of fire between the two nations since a fragile truce was signed in June . Speaking at the NATO summit in Turkey, a visibly frustrated President Trump blasted the Iranian leadership as “scum,” “cuckoo,” and “vicious, violent people,” indicating that further negotiations might be a “waste of time” .

The announcement came as oil prices spiked by roughly 6% and the United States revoked a temporary waiver on Iranian oil sales, dramatically escalating tensions that have simmered despite a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at ending hostilities .

The Latest Strikes

The latest round of violence was triggered by attacks on three commercial oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week . In response, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched what it described as “powerful” and “extensive” strikes against Iranian targets .

American forces targeted over 80 military installations, including air defense systems, coastal radar sites, and over 60 small boats belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) . Military officials noted this offensive was significantly larger than previous retaliatory actions .

Iran quickly retaliated. The IRGC announced it had launched missile and drone attacks against 85 key U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait . Air raid sirens sounded across both countries, with Kuwait confirming its forces intercepted several ballistic missiles and drones .

'The Era of Bullying and Extortion is Over'

President Trump’s rhetoric has shifted dramatically from the optimism of the June truce. “I don't want to deal with them anymore, they're scum,” Trump told reporters in Ankara, accusing Tehran of lying about the terms of the deal. “They go outside, talk to the press, they say 'we never even talked about it.' There's something wrong with them” .

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However, in a later briefing, the president seemed to walk back the finality of his declaration, suggesting that while he considered the deal over, U.S. negotiators—including his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff—could continue to talk “if they want” . He also signaled the possibility of further strikes, warning he would “hit them hard tonight” if necessary, though he claimed he did not believe the situation would devolve into a full-scale war .

Iranian officials have met the hostility with defiance. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, accused the U.S. of violating the MoU by revoking sanctions relief and launching strikes. “The era of bullying and extortion is over. It leads nowhere. We don't fold,” Ghalibaf stated, vowing that Iran would respond to every attack in kind .

The Unraveling of a Fragile Peace

The June 17th Memorandum of Understanding was intended to pause the conflict that began in late February and allowed for 60 days of negotiations to address the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program . Talks were temporarily paused to allow for the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening days of the conflict .

The new attacks, however, have rendered that pause irrelevant. By revoking the temporary sanctions waiver, the U.S. has cut off Iran’s ability to openly sell oil, a key component of the financial incentives that brought Tehran to the negotiating table in the first place . Iran, in turn, has accused Washington of “bad faith” .

While NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte defended the U.S. strikes as “absolutely necessary,” the international community is now watching with bated breath to see if the conflict will spiral out of control, potentially closing the Strait of Hormuz—a vital artery for global energy supplies .