President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran is "over" following a new round of military strikes and escalating tensions between the two countries.
Trump made the remarks alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, stating, "I think it's over. I don't want to deal with them anymore."
He characterized the Iranian leadership as "sick people" who would use a nuclear weapon, and described the conflict as "all over" in his opinion.
Trump also stated that U.S. officials had sought to negotiate a broader peace agreement with Tehran but now believed it was "a waste of time dealing with" the Iranian side.
The U.S. military launched a series of powerful strikes against Iran in response to attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.
According to the U.S. Central Command, U.S. forces struck more than 80 targets, including air defense systems, command-and-control networks, anti-ship missile capabilities, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats.
The operation was conducted "to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway," CENTCOM said.
The strikes were described as a response to Iranian aggression, which was deemed unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire.
Trump's remarks and the U.S. military strikes mark a significant escalation in tensions between the United States and Iran.
