Trump's Ultimatum: "Shootin' Starts" If Deal Fails
President Trump warned late Wednesday that U.S. strikes on Iran will resume "bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before" if Tehran breaks the two-week ceasefire. Writing on Truth Social, Trump declared, "If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the 'Shootin' Starts.'" The president insisted the deal bars any Iranian nuclear enrichment and keeps the Strait of Hormuz open. However, Iran's 10-point plan included its full control over the Strait of Hormuz, removal of sanctions, and accepting Iran's right to enrichment. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Iran's proposal was "literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump."
Markets Reverse as Oil Route Remains Blocked
On Thursday, Brent crude, the international standard, was at $97 per barrel, up 2.4 percent, after conflicting reports surfaced that Iran had again shut the Strait of Hormuz. The White House called the closure reports "false" and claimed traffic rose Wednesday, but ship brokers say more than 100 vessels still idle. Before the war, 120-150 ships passed daily; now operators fear rogue Iranian commanders and a new toll system that has already cost some tankers $1 million apiece. Erik Broekhuizen of Poten & Partners told NPR owners "don't really know who to talk to, who is in charge."
Vance Heads to Islamabad as Talks Loom
Vice President JD Vance will lead the U.S. delegation when high-stakes negotiations open Saturday in Islamabad. The meeting will occur under Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's mediation. The meeting was brokered only after Trump backed off his Tuesday threat to bomb Iran into "the stone ages," opting instead for the 14-day truce. Islamabad's announcement initially claimed Lebanon was covered; Washington and Jerusalem say it is not.
Israel Pounds Lebanon, Killing 250 in Ten-Minute Blitz
Israel launched its largest strike yet on Beirut Wednesday—100 strikes in 10 minutes. According to Lebanon's civil defense, more than 250 people were killed and 1,160 wounded in Israeli attacks on Wednesday. Among the dead: four Lebanese soldiers and the nephew of a Hezbollah leader. The military issued evacuation orders for suburbs, then hit central Beirut where displaced families crowd seaside promenades. Hezbollah, silent on day one, fired rockets into northern Israel Thursday after an Israeli bridge strike. The group insists the U.S.–Iran ceasefire covers Lebanon; Trump sides with Netanyahu, telling PBS, "Because of Hezbollah. They were not included."
The NPR report also notes that Israeli military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said Hezbollah dispersed among civilians to hide.
Gulf States Demand Protection for Energy Sites
Gulf Arab countries are pressing Washington for a formal framework to shield oil, gas and fertilizer facilities from Iranian drones and missiles, a regional official told NPR anonymously. Gulf monarchies intercepted multiple Iranian attacks during the war and now want enforcement of free navigation through Hormuz written into any final accord. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and Iran's Abbas Araghchi held their first call since hostilities began, agreeing to "discuss ways to reduce tensions."
NATO Rift Deepens as Trump Scolds Allies
Meeting NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House, Trump blasted the alliance for "not being there" during the Iran campaign. Rutte countered that "a large majority of European countries" fulfilled obligations. The spat compounds Trump's renewed threat of 50 percent tariffs on any nation supplying military weapons to Iran.
Trump's Base Splinters Over War Path
Online backlash spread across Trump's own Truth Social platform, with longtime supporters accusing him of surrender. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) credited Tucker Carlson, Ann Coulter and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for pressuring the president toward the ceasefire. Trump's net approval has plunged to a record-low minus-23 percent amid rising gas prices, according to The Hill. House Democrats, led by Hakeem Jeffries, plan to use a pro-forma session to force a vote on a war-powers resolution ordering U.S. forces out of the Middle East.
What Must Happen Before the Clock Runs Out
The War Powers Resolution gives Trump only days left before the 60-day legal limit for hostilities without congressional authorization expires. If diplomacy collapses, the White House must either withdraw forces or risk violating the law. For now, more than 20 commercial ships attacked since the war began remain parked outside the strait, waiting to see whether Saturday's talks produce a durable pact—or whether the next salvo of missiles will fly.
The sources also report that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government acted as the intermediary to secure the two-week ceasefire.