Trump Declares the Ceasefire Over: "We're Going to Hit Them Hard Tonight"

Brent hits $80, US inflation crosses 4%, and the president threatens to seize Kharg Island.

Donald Trump declared the US-Iran ceasefire dead Wednesday morning at the NATO summit in Ankara, hours after American forces struck more than 80 targets inside Iran and Tehran answered with missiles aimed at US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait. "I think it's over," Trump said, seated beside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. "I don't want to deal with them anymore, they're scum... they're sick people, they're led by sick people, and they're vicious, violent people."

CENTCOM said its overnight strikes hit Iranian air-defense systems, command networks, coastal radar, anti-ship missiles, and more than 60 Revolutionary Guard boats — retaliation for Iranian attacks on three commercial tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, including the Qatari LNG carrier Al Rekayyat and the Saudi-flagged Wedyan. Iran's armed forces claimed strikes on 85 "key US military installations" at Salman Port, the Fifth Fleet, and Ali Al Salem Air Base. Kuwait said it downed two ballistic missiles and 13 drones. Sirens sounded across Bahrain and Kuwait overnight.