The United States and Iran exchanged military fire over the strait of Hormuz as Vice President JD Vance offered a murky timeline for resolving the conflict, suggesting resolution could arrive within a week or stretch across several months.
American forces struck Iranian radar and air defense installations near the strait after Tehran downed a US Apache helicopter. In response, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired long-range missiles at the al-Azraq base in Jordan. Kuwait reported intercepting hostile aircraft and missiles, while Jordanian forces said they shot down five incoming missiles.
The exchange marked an escalation in an already volatile standoff, yet Vance kept his remarks on resolution vague. Speaking to reporters, the vice president said the administration believed it could secure "a deal that is good for the United States economically" while permanently addressing Iran's nuclear program. He framed the goal as one extending beyond the Trump presidency, allowing his own children to grow up knowing Iran would not possess nuclear weapons.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, countered that American military action was undermining diplomatic channels and hampering efforts to end the war. The conflicting signals underscored the precarious position of both sides: military posturing continued while behind-the-scenes negotiations remained theoretically alive.
President Donald Trump had directed the military to carry out the American strikes, according to White House officials. The timing of Vance's comments, made amid active hostilities, suggested administration officials were attempting to balance deterrence with a facade of diplomatic intent.
Author James Rodriguez: "Vance's vagueness on a 'week or few months' amounts to political cover for an unpredictable situation neither side fully controls."
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