President Donald Trump said the cease-fire with Iran is effectively on the verge of collapse and has renewed pressure on Tehran. Reports that he is seriously weighing the resumption of military operations have put the nearly month-long truce at a critical crossroads.
On May 11 (local time), CNBC and other outlets reported Trump told White House reporters the truce is \"incredibly weak\" and \"basically on life support.\" He likened the situation to a doctor saying, \"Sir, the chance your loved one will survive is about 1%.\"
Trump also dismissed Iran's peace proposal as \"trash\" and a \"stupid offer,\" reiterating that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons.
His skepticism extended to the possibility of renewed military action. In an interview with Fox News, Trump said he is considering reviving a so-called \"Liberation Project,\" using U.S. forces to help merchant vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz break free.
Fox News reported that Trump described such U.S. escorts in the Strait of Hormuz as likely to be a small component of a larger military operation, but noted no final decision has been made.
CNN, citing Trump aides, reported the president is increasingly serious about the prospect of restarting military action against Iran. According to those accounts, he has grown frustrated with Tehran's negotiating posture and is more actively weighing military options than he was earlier.
Officials and advisers say Trump is losing patience, viewing the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz and fractures within Iran's leadership as obstacles to extracting meaningful concessions in the nuclear talks.
Earlier, on the news program Full Measure, Trump said he could carry out a two-week campaign of strikes against Iran. When asked whether the Iran campaign dubbed \"Grand Fury,\" which began in late February, had concluded, he replied, \"I didn't say that.\"
Preparing for Military Action
The U.S. also signaled increased military pressure. In an atypical move, the Navy disclosed the location of a nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarine. U.S. Navy Sixth Fleet, which covers Europe and Africa, said in a statement the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine arrived in Gibraltar on the previous day.
The whereabouts of U.S. ballistic submarines are normally classified and revealed only sparingly to demonstrate strategic deterrence. Analysts said the Sixth Fleet's decision to release photos and details likely aimed to send a message of pressure to Iran.
The defense publication Seongjoji noted that U.S. Navy submarines rarely appear publicly and that such appearances are often intended as strategic deterrence messages. It said the submarine's presence near a key choke point in the western Mediterranean coincided with stalled efforts to negotiate an end to hostilities between the U.S. and Iran.
Separately, The Wall Street Journal reported that the United Arab Emirates has secretly carried out military strikes against Iran. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said the UAE conducted multiple attacks, including strikes on an oil facility on Iran's Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf.
