Trump Draws a Red Line: When the U.S. Could Strike Iran Again

President Donald Trump said in private conversations with his advisers that he would consider ending the pause if American troops are killed as a result of activity by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. That is what U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal in a report published overnight (between Wednesday and Thursday).

According to those officials, Trump still prefers to avoid a broader escalation. Still, the chain of security incidents in recent weeks is raising questions about the future of the ceasefire that took effect at the beginning of April.

Just yesterday, Kuwait’s military announced that within a single 24-hour period, 13 ballistic missiles and 17 drones were launched at the country. One of the attacks killed a resident with Indian citizenship, while heavy damage was caused to property and infrastructure, including the country’s airport.

About a week ago, the U.S. military thwarted an Iranian drone attack intended to hit its forces in the Strait of Hormuz. In addition, it was reported that Iran recently launched missiles and drones at American bases in the region, alongside the attack on Kuwait International Airport.

Against the backdrop of these events, a White House official stressed that Trump still wants to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program through diplomatic means, but made clear that the president remains "completely clear and decisive about his red lines."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also addressed the situation and described the exchanges of fire as purely defensive. During a hearing in Congress, he said the United States is responding in a targeted way to Iranian fire at vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and does not want to widen the conflict.

At the same time, Trump continues to delay a decision on a possible agreement with Iran. Last night he said the talks are "going well" and that there could be developments as soon as this coming weekend. On the other hand, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said in an interview with Al-Mayadeen that there has been no "significant progress" in the contacts in recent days.