U.S. President Donald Trump has said that Iran is not upholding its part of an agreement with the U.S. because oil tankers have not been allowed free passage through the Strait of Hormuz since the ceasefire took effect. Trump wants help to open the Strait of Hormuz for oil traffic and has threatened to bomb Iran's power plants if it does not fully open the waterway within 48 hours. He warned that the future for NATO could become dark if allies do not help open the Strait of Hormuz. The White House is still 'considering taking it over', according to an official statement, and Trump has demanded about seven countries send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
NATO leaders have rejected Trump's call to get involved in the war against Iran, with Germany stating it is not NATO's war. Japan, Australia, and the UK said they have no plans to send naval ships to the Strait of Hormuz, and France, Germany, Italy, Greece, and Australia refused to join U.S. efforts to reopen it. Trump demanded Britain send warships to help defend the Strait of Hormuz, but the UK has not committed and has ruled out sending warships into the Strait of Hormuz or nearby Iranian waters. European allies have shown little willingness to join a U.S.-led military effort against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, and NATO allies are declining to join a potential U.S. effort to reopen it.
Military escalation has intensified, with Iran launching fresh attacks against U.S. targets in the Gulf on Tuesday. Rockets and at least five drones targeted the U.S. embassy in Baghdad early on Tuesday, according to Iraqi security sources, and Iran targeted the United Arab Emirates, forcing temporary closure of airspace and hitting an oil facility in Fujairah. A tanker anchored off the UAE's eastern coast was hit by a projectile early Tuesday morning, sustaining minor structural damage. Iran claims the U.S. and Israel attacked the Natanz nuclear facility, with no signs of radioactive leakage, and Iran attacked the British-American military base Diego Garcia with ballistic missiles but missed. A kindergarten in Rishon LeZion, Israel, was destroyed in a rocket attack, reportedly by Iran, with no casualties.
The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is in its third week with at least 2,000 people dead, according to multiple reports. Officials in Iran, Lebanon, and Israel report the war has killed at least 1,300 people in Iran, at least 880 in Lebanon, and 12 in Israel. The U.S. military says 13 U.S. service members have been killed and about 200 wounded.
The economic consequences are severe, as the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed off, carrying about 20% of the world's oil supply. Iranian strikes on commercial ships have slowed shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to a trickle, and about 20 vessels in the region have come under attack since the Iran war started. At least six ships have been hit in the Strait of Hormuz by projectiles or explosive boats, and insurance companies have begun refusing to insure ships traversing the waterway. A very limited number of ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of Operation Epic Fury. Oil prices have surged sharply since the start of the war with Iran and are hovering around $100 per barrel, and the U.S. temporarily lifted sanctions on Iranian oil already at sea to lower oil prices.
The White House is still 'considering taking it over'.
U.S. military operations, referred to as Operation Epic Fury, are costly, with the Pentagon requesting $200 billion for the war in Iran, with potential deployment of thousands more troops. The U.S. has spent around $3.7 billion in the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury.
Diplomatic efforts continue amid the violence, with Donald Trump pressuring Israel to slow down attacks on Lebanon to avoid jeopardizing peace talks with Iran. Israel and Lebanon will hold talks in Washington next week to end hostilities with Hezbollah. Iran rejected a 15-point U.S. ceasefire plan and closed the Strait of Hormuz, driving up oil prices.
International reactions show mixed support, with Sweden joining countries willing to contribute to securing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, but efforts are limited to a statement so far. Russia's President Vladimir Putin expressed support for Iran, calling it a loyal friend during difficult times, and Iran's foreign minister confirmed military cooperation with Russia and China. European Council President António Costa called Trump's threats to bomb Iranian civil infrastructure illegal under international law, and Finland's President Alexander Stubb said NATO has Russia to take care of and prefers peace mediation over escalation.
Warnings and intelligence briefings have highlighted risks, as Trump was warned that attacking Iran could trigger strikes against U.S. Gulf allies, according to Reuters citing U.S. officials. He was briefed ahead of the operation that Tehran would likely seek to close the Strait of Hormuz, according to sources familiar with the matter. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran's new Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is injured and likely disfigured after a bombing.
Key unknowns persist in the conflict, including the exact current operational status of the Strait of Hormuz, which reports describe as both open and largely closed. The full list of countries Trump has demanded to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz is not specified, and the extent of military cooperation between Iran, Russia, and China is unclear. The specific details and timeline of the U.S. ceasefire plan rejected by Iran are also not publicly known, adding to the diplomatic uncertainty.