rki.news | Sources Anadolu Agency
US President Donald Trump has told his aides privately that he will not end a ceasefire with Iran unless Tehran kills American troops, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing US officials.
Trump’s reluctance to reignite conflict with Iran suggests he may be willing to “withstand smaller flare-ups for weeks — or even months — to avoid a broader war in the Middle East,” the report added.
This week, the United States and Iran exchanged some of their most intense hostilities since the ceasefire in early April. Iran launched missiles and drones targeting US military installations across the region and Kuwait International Airport, resulting in one fatality.
The dispute over the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted global energy markets and shipping. Tehran has restricted transit through the waterway, while Washington has enforced a blockade on Iranian ports.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the strikes as defensive responses to Iranian actions, saying: “If they don’t shoot at those ships, we don’t shoot, but we have to respond.”
The report noted that repeated attacks have “ratcheted up pressure on Trump and cast doubt over the long-term viability of the ceasefire.”
Trump has reiterated he is close to an end-of-war deal aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, and reducing its enriched uranium stockpile.