
6 days · 3 summary articles
U.S. strikes Iran targets after ceasefire collapse as Tehran hits Gulf allies
US launches fresh strikes on Iran as Trump ends ceasefire while Erdogan gifts firearms at NATO summit
U.S. launches fresh strikes on Iran after Trump declares ceasefire over
US military launches fresh strikes on Iran as Trump declares ceasefire over, while Erdogan gifts world leaders firearms at NATO summit
US Central Command confirmed fresh airstrikes against Iranian targets early Thursday, marking the second such operation within 24 hours as Washington escalated its campaign to degrade Tehran’s ability to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon framed the raids as a response to “daily violations” of a previously agreed ceasefire, with President Donald Trump declaring the arrangement “a waste of time” during a NATO summit in Ankara. “We will hit them hard tonight,” a US military spokesperson told reporters, echoing Trump’s rhetoric that the Islamic Republic’s leadership represents “scum” unworthy of diplomatic engagement.
The strikes follow Trump’s abrupt announcement on Wednesday that the US would no longer abide by the ceasefire terms, a decision taken despite ongoing negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. Iranian forces responded with counterattacks, including missile and drone strikes intercepted by Kuwait’s air defenses, according to Kuwaiti military officials. The escalation has sent oil prices surging, with Brent crude jumping over 4% as markets brace for broader regional instability. European Central Bank policymakers, meeting in Frankfurt, now face renewed pressure to address inflation risks amid the energy shock.
The NATO gathering in Ankara also produced an unusual diplomatic sideshow when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented firearms to several world leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Each recipient received a revolver and ammunition, which a German government spokesperson later confirmed had been transferred to the embassy for “proper import and inventory registration.” The gifts, described by Erdogan as symbolic of “strength and resolve,” drew immediate scrutiny over diplomatic protocol, with critics questioning the appropriateness of lethal weapons as state presents.
Meanwhile, Iran prepares to bury its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Mashhad’s Imam Reza Shrine, the holiest site in Shia Islam. The funeral, scheduled for Thursday, comes more than four months after Khamenei’s death in a targeted strike that triggered the current crisis. Iranian state media framed the event as a unifying moment for the Islamic Republic, though regional analysts warn it could further inflame tensions with Washington.
In corporate news, Volkswagen’s supervisory board convened an emergency session in Wolfsburg to address fallout from the escalating Middle East conflict, which has disrupted supply chains for the German automaker’s global operations. Analysts at Handelsblatt noted that the company’s stock underperformed the DAX on Thursday as investors priced in higher geopolitical risk premiums.
The renewed hostilities have also reignited debates over transatlantic security commitments, with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte facing criticism for his perceived deference to Trump. “It can only be described as self-abasing groveling,” wrote one commentator in *Süddeutsche Zeitung*, while European diplomats privately expressed alarm at the US president’s erratic approach to alliance cohesion. Trump’s recent threats to suspend trade with Spain—over its refusal to host US military bases for Iran operations—and his renewed claim to Greenland have further strained relations with key allies.
As the day progressed, markets remained on edge, with the European Central Bank’s latest meeting minutes due later Thursday for clues on future monetary policy. In Washington, weekly jobless claims data will provide further insight into the US economy’s resilience amid geopolitical turmoil.
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