The White House ordered fresh military strikes against Iranian targets Wednesday evening, marking the second consecutive day of combat operations as diplomatic efforts to extend a regional ceasefire appear to be collapsing.
US Central Command confirmed that strikes began at 5:15 p.m. ET under direct orders from the president. The escalation follows the downing of a US Apache helicopter over the strait of Hormuz, which Trump has attributed to Iranian action.
Standing at the White House, Trump signaled no letup in military pressure. "We hit them hard yesterday and we're going to hit them hard again today," he told reporters, venting frustration over stalled negotiations. "We were really close to a deal, but they keep tapping us along, they keep playing us for suckers."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced the message, saying US Central Command would "be busy tonight." He framed the bombing campaign as a tool to strengthen Trump's hand at the negotiating table. "We're dropping bombs on key facilities in Iran," Hegseth stated. "That's because the war department is prepared to set the terms to ensure that we get the kind of terms that President Trump expects."
The two-month-old ceasefire has held only tenuously since late February. Wednesday's strikes represent a significant hardening of Trump's position after weeks of what the president described as stalling tactics by Iran. Both sides had traded fire earlier in the day, pulling neighboring Gulf states back into a conflict that has destabilized the region for months.
Beyond the military action, Trump's administration moved forward on several other fronts Wednesday. The president signed a nearly $70 billion immigration enforcement package into law after the House narrowly approved it, securing ICE and border patrol funding through the remainder of his presidency.
Trump also pressed ahead with his push to make political ally Bill Pulte acting director of national intelligence, a move that has generated bipartisan resistance on Capitol Hill and threatens the renewal of surveillance authorities scheduled to expire at week's end.
Meanwhile, public confidence in American security guarantees abroad has reached historic lows. A survey found that only one in 10 Europeans across 15 nations now view the US as an ally, with majorities in every country doubting whether the Americans would defend them if attacked.
On the domestic front, measles cases have surpassed 2,000 so far this year, putting the nation on pace for the worst measles year in decades as states grapple with reduced federal public health funding. Environmental groups also filed suit to block the Trump administration from transferring more than 700 acres of Texas wildlife refuge to SpaceX, citing ecological risks from the company's expanded rocket operations.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump is betting that bombing will bend Iran to his terms, but the deterioration is happening fast, and there's no clear off-ramp if the other side calls his bluff."
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