Trump Ends Iran Ceasefire After Iranian Attacks on Ships in Strait of Hormuz

On Monday evening, as President Donald Trump prepared to leave the White House for Turkey, senior aides informed him of new Iranian attacks on ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz via the southern shipping lane. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reported that Iran had launched cruise missiles and one-way attack drones targeting three vessels over several hours, including a liquefied natural gas tanker. Angered by the assaults, Trump questioned whether Iran was serious about finalizing a peace agreement and ultimately decided they were not, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In response, Trump canceled some remaining incentives under the peace framework he had signed at the Versailles Palace two weeks earlier, which had initially received widespread acclaim. He revoked Iran's oil export license, ordered multiple strikes against Iranian targets in and around the strait on Tuesday and Wednesday, and threatened to hit civilian infrastructure, including water desalination facilities. An Iranian diplomat accused the U.S. of violating the peace deal by establishing a shipping route not coordinated with Tehran, justifying Iran's missile attacks.

The sudden collapse of the ceasefire left the agreement in disarray, with foreign leaders uncertain whether Trump's declaration signaled a return to full-scale war or renewed negotiations. Gulf allies brace for further Iranian retaliation, energy markets face another economic shock, and maritime traffic through the strait is again disrupted. At a NATO summit in Ankara, Trump declared, "For me, I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them. They are liars, they are cheats, they are sick people."

Following Defense Secretary Hegseth's warning of deeper U.S. strikes, the U.S. military announced operations aimed at further degrading Iran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Hormuz straits. An American official stated Iran had chosen "the path of violence" and would face consequences. The timing of Iran's attacks angered Trump, who had previously granted Iran a "week off" from negotiations due to the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in a U.S.-Israeli strike in February. Vice President J.D. Vance emphasized a firm stance, saying, "If they shoot at ships, we will kill them."

Oil prices surged over 6% following Trump's announcement ending the ceasefire, highlighting the economic risks of renewed conflict in the strategic waterway. The confrontation exposed flaws in the interim peace deal, which ambiguously guaranteed free passage but lacked clarity on control, coordination, and oversight of the route. The agreement began unraveling Sunday when Iranian forces warned ships approaching the southern lane that it was unsafe and threatened missile and drone attacks. Shortly after, Iranian forces fired missiles at three commercial vessels, including a Qatari tanker that caught fire in its engine room and had to evacuate its crew.