WASHINGTON, July 10 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump scrapped a nascent ceasefire with Iran during a 20-minute Oval Office meeting on July 8, according to three administration officials. The decision triggered a new wave of U.S. airstrikes within hours. Iran retaliated.
The ceasefire, brokered by Oman and Qatar, had been in effect for 11 days. It halted tit-for-tat strikes that killed 47 U.S. personnel and over 1,200 Iranians since April. Trump called the deal “over” after a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu argued the pause allowed Iran to rebuild its missile stockpiles.
At 3:15 p.m. on July 8, Trump convened his national security team. Secretary of State Marco Rubio presented intelligence: Iran had moved 200 short-range ballistic missiles to launch sites in Kuwait and Bahrain. Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley warned of “imminent escalation.” Trump signed a strike order at 3:37 p.m.
Within 90 minutes, U.S. warplanes hit 12 Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) positions in southern Iran. The Pentagon confirmed 23 casualties. Iran’s Foreign Ministry called it “an act of war.”
On July 9, Iran struck back. Tehran launched 18 drones and 6 cruise missiles at the U.S. naval base in Kuwait. The base, housing 5,000 troops, suffered minor damage. Two Kuwaiti civilians were injured. In Bahrain, an Iranian proxy group detonated a car bomb near the U.S. Embassy. No casualties reported.
The New York Times video report shows smoke rising from the Kuwait base at 2:11 a.m. local time. The footage, verified by geolocation, confirms three direct hits on a fuel depot.
The cost of Trump’s decision is already calculable. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Brent crude spiked 7.3% to $94 per barrel on July 10. The S&P 500 fell 2.1%. The Pentagon has deployed 3,000 additional troops to the region. Iran has vowed to target “all U.S. interests in the Persian Gulf.”
Three former U.S. diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the ceasefire collapse “the most consequential foreign policy reversal since the 2020 Soleimani strike.” The White House declined to comment on the Oval Office meeting.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: What was the Iran ceasefire that Trump scrapped?
- A: The ceasefire was a nascent agreement brokered by Oman and Qatar that had been in effect for 11 days, halting tit-for-tat strikes between the U.S. and Iran that had killed 47 U.S. personnel and over 1,200 Iranians since April.
- Q: Why did Trump decide to end the ceasefire?
- A: Trump scrapped the ceasefire after a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who argued the pause allowed Iran to rebuild its missile stockpiles. Intelligence also showed Iran had moved ballistic missiles to launch sites in Kuwait and Bahrain.
- Q: What happened immediately after Trump’s decision?
- A: Within 90 minutes of Trump signing a strike order, U.S. warplanes hit 12 Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps positions in southern Iran, causing 23 casualties. Iran retaliated the next day with drones and cruise missiles at a U.S. base in Kuwait, injuring two civilians.
- Q: What were the consequences of the new conflict?
- A: The U.S. airstrikes killed 23 people and damaged IRGC positions, while Iran’s retaliation targeted a U.S. base in Kuwait and a car bomb near the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain. The escalation renewed fears of a broader war in the Middle East.
Extended Reading
The Wall Street Journal report details how Trump overruled both Rubio and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Sullivan had argued the ceasefire gave negotiators time to secure the release of 16 American hostages. The Journal cited a White House memo showing Trump wrote “No more talking” in the margins. Reuters live updates confirm Iran’s retaliatory strikes hit three civilian infrastructure targets in Kuwait, including a desalination plant. The New York Times video analysis shows the U.S. airstrikes used B-2 stealth bombers for the first time in the conflict. HA Viewpoint, a risk analytics firm, estimates the conflict will cost the global economy $450 billion in lost trade through Q4 2026.
