President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that a ceasefire with Iran is "over" following attacks on oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The President expressed outrage when asked if the ceasefire still stood, stating, "To me, I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them anymore."
During an event at the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump described Iran's leadership and people as "scum," "sick people," and "vicious, violent people." He indicated that while he would consult with negotiators, his administration was done with direct engagement. "As far as I'm concerned, it's just a waste of time dealing with them. They're liars. They're cuckoo," he added.
The remarks came after U.S. Central Command announced it had conducted offensive strikes against Iran on July 7, hitting over 80 targets in response to the regime's latest attacks on commercial vessels. The targeted ships included the Marshall Islands-flagged M/T Al Rekayyat, Saudi Arabia-flagged M/T Wedyan, and Liberian-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity.
According to CENTCOM, the strikes targeted Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 small boats belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. "Forces completed a new round of offensive strikes against Iran, July 7, hitting over 80 targets with precision munitions as an immediate response to Iran's latest attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz," the statement read.
Trump stated that he had initially believed Iran would observe a period of peace, noting the country was in mourning for its late leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 during joint U.S.-Israeli strikes. "We said, 'Go and do your funeral stuff,' and instead of that, they start shooting rockets at ships," Trump remarked.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, present at the summit, offered his support for the U.S. response. "I think what you did last night was absolutely necessary," Rutte told Trump. "It was a very strong response."