President Donald Trump declared the Iran war ceasefire “over” on July 8 at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, after the US and Iran traded strikes for two consecutive nights, with the American military striking 170 targets across both waves of attacks.
The escalation began when Iran fired on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on July 7, which US Central Command called “unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation” of the ceasefire agreement. The US responded with strikes on over 80 Iranian targets that same night, targeting air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, and surface-to-air missile capabilities.
Speaking to journalists at the NATO summit, Trump said: “To me, I think it’s over.” He described Iranian leaders as “scum” and “sick people,” adding that the ceasefire memorandum of understanding was “just a waste of time dealing with them.”
The ceasefire had been under strain since mid-June, when the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a 60-day extension to negotiate final terms. Trump had previously extended an initial ceasefire indefinitely on April 21, 2026, to allow Iranian leaders time to reach a “unified proposal.” The latest collapse marks a dramatic reversal after months of diplomatic effort.
On the second night of strikes, July 8-9, the US military hit approximately 90 additional Iranian targets, bringing the two-day total to 170. According to US Central Command, the strikes aimed to “further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz.” Targets included air defense systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone storage sites, naval capabilities, and military logistics infrastructure along Iran’s coastline.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded with retaliatory strikes on US military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain in the early hours of Wednesday, calling the attacks the “first phase of the punitive response against the American treaty-breakers.” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator with the US, said on social media that America “still hasn’t learned that bullying and breaking promises are no longer cost-free.”
The collapse of the ceasefire has sent shockwaves through global energy markets. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes, has become the focal point of renewed hostilities. Brent crude oil rose to around $78.80 a barrel following Trump’s declaration, continuing a climb that began when Iranian attacks on shipping first threatened the waterway.
Despite the military escalation, Trump told journalists aboard Air Force One later on July 9 that Iranian officials had called “just a little while ago” wanting to make a deal “so badly.” However, he expressed doubt about whether Iran was “worthy” of a deal or would honor any agreement. The president added that the US had “already won militarily” and that Iran had “very little left,” though he did not formally withdraw from the negotiating process.
Sources
- BBC News — Live coverage of the US-Iran strikes, Trump’s declaration, Iranian responses, and the 170 targets figure
- CNN — Trump’s ceasefire declaration at NATO summit, strike details, and live updates on the escalation
- The Washington Post — Trump’s declaration and ordering of new strikes, Iranian attacks on vessels as ceasefire violations
- NPR — Trump’s statement that the ceasefire is “over” at the NATO summit
- Al Jazeera — Iranian attacks on vessels in Strait of Hormuz, US strikes in response, ceasefire violations
- Reuters — US strikes on Iran, details of targets hit on July 7-8
- Council on Foreign Relations — Trump’s April 21, 2026 extension of the ceasefire indefinitely
- AP News — Ceasefire extension in June 2026 and negotiations timeline
- PBS NewsHour — US Central Command statements on Iranian attacks as ceasefire violations
