Strikes resume after Trump declares MOU dead
President Trump declared the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran 'over' after the latest exchange of fire, calling Iranian leaders 'scum' in public remarks. The US Central Command confirmed it struck more than 80 Iranian targets on Tuesday in response to provocations in the Persian Gulf. Iran responded in kind, firing missiles at US bases and positions in three Gulf Arab states, though no American casualties were immediately reported.
Oil markets roiled by renewed conflict
Oil prices hit a three-week high as tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz faced new disruptions. The price spike compounds inflationary pressures already weighing on the global economy. Iran warned it would target any vessel entering the strait without authorization, while the US Navy said it was safeguarding maritime traffic in the waterway. The White House signaled additional sanctions would be imposed on Tehran in the coming days.
NATO allies scramble for response
At the NATO summit in Turkey, alliance leaders debated how to respond to the escalating US-Iran crisis. Trump demanded NATO members increase defense spending and threatened to cut off trade with Spain over its refusal to contribute more to the alliance's defense fund. European leaders expressed alarm at the breakdown of the MOU but stopped short of committing troops to any new US-led coalition in the Gulf.