U.S. forces carried out additional strikes against Iran on the 13th local time. As the United States and Iran chose military confrontation over peace talks and their hard-line standoff continues, some say the resumption of commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and a cease-fire deal have effectively been scrapped.
On the day, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on social media that it had successfully completed additional strikes targeting military objectives inside Iran. Since the 7th, the United States has conducted a large-scale operation, precision-bombing more than 140 sites including Iranian missile bases and surveillance radar facilities. The latest airstrikes came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed the strongest military response toward Iran.
Originally, the United States and Iran planned to mend their long-running feud by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a cease-fire centered on guaranteeing civilian vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States would suspend sanctions on Iranian crude exports, and Iran would open the strait's shipping lanes unconditionally for 60 days. But just as the two sides were about to formally sign the agreement, a merchant ship was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, abruptly reversing the mood. The United States identified the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as being behind the attack and immediately began military retaliation.
The additional airstrikes have pushed U.S.-Iran relations into a place where recovery through dialogue appears impossible. In Iran, hard-line public opinion is rapidly gaining ground, centered on the supreme leadership and its resolve to fight the United States to the end. Key senior figures, including Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned publicly that "the United States broke its promise first" and "will pay a harsh price." The United States, for its part, is maintaining a firm stance that it will not ease the level of military pressure to protect its interests, making it difficult to find common ground.