The White House asserts the US war against Iran went 'exactly as planned' and claims the 'moral high ground,' despite President Trump's earlier threat to wipe out Iranian 'civilization' and an already fragile two-week ceasefire. Iran warns the US to choose between peace or continued conflict via Israel, as Israeli strikes kill hundreds in Lebanon, which is explicitly excluded from the truce. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed, with Iran demanding tolls, while US Vice President JD Vance acknowledges the 'messy' nature of ceasefires.
The article details the volatile situation surrounding a fragile two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, announced by President Trump hours after he threatened to obliterate Iranian 'civilization.' Despite this, the White House maintains the US war against Iran went 'exactly as planned from day one,' claiming Iran's regional threat capability has been 'systematically dismantled' and asserting America's 'moral high ground.' However, Iran's foreign minister warned the US must choose between a ceasefire or continued war via Israel. Simultaneously, hundreds were killed and injured in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, which the Israeli military confirmed as its 'largest strike' since the conflict began, with the White House confirming Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire agreement. Both the US and Iran have framed the ceasefire as a victory. The agreement was intended to lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but independent analysts report no change in traffic, and Iran continues to demand tolls (up to $1 per barrel for outbound oil, payable in cryptocurrency) and threatens to attack ships without approval. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis deemed such tolls 'unacceptable,' while Trump suggested a joint US-Iran venture for collecting them. US Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the 'choppiness' and 'messiness' of ceasefires, suggesting Iran's few points of disagreement imply many points of agreement. He also controversially questioned the English skills of Iran's parliamentary Speaker regarding ceasefire comments and used a 'skydiving wife' analogy to discuss Iran's demand for enrichment rights, which Trump publicly denied. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte revealed that some European allies 'failed' in the Iran war, having not supported the US and Israel, though he assured Trump that a majority provided logistical assistance. Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called for an urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon, expressing deep concern for the humanitarian situation and condemning attacks on UN peacekeepers. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Democrats would force a vote on a War Powers Act resolution to curb what he called Trump's 'unchecked power' and 'unhinged' actions.
