With Iran ceasefire "over," Trump shifts to battle for Hormuz

Ceasefire breaks down

President Donald Trump said the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was "over" after fresh Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and on U.S. military sites in the Gulf.

The latest turn shifted the conflict's focus away from the truce itself and toward a narrower immediate goal: keeping the strait open to commercial shipping. Axios reported that the administration is now framing freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz as the central mission.

The waterway is one of the world's most important energy chokepoints, and any disruption there can ripple quickly through global oil and gas markets. The stakes are especially high because tanker traffic through the strait had already slowed sharply as the fighting intensified.

What happened

According to AP, Iranian attacks on merchant vessels off the coast of Oman helped trigger U.S. retaliation. The U.S. then carried out new airstrikes on Iranian targets, including military sites and port facilities, AP reported.

Trump told reporters the ceasefire was over and said he wanted to "finish the job," while also indicating he did not want a long war, AP reported. Mediators have continued trying to preserve the accord, but the reported attacks pushed the truce deeper into crisis.

AP also reported that tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz had essentially stopped after the shipping attacks, underscoring how quickly the confrontation began affecting the flow of trade through the region.

Markets and risk

The fallout spread rapidly into energy markets. AP reported Brent crude rose 5.2% to $78.02 a barrel and briefly crossed $80 as traders assessed the risk to shipping lanes and possible supply disruptions.

The immediate concern is no longer just the ceasefire's collapse. It is whether the confrontation expands further, whether Iran answers the latest U.S. strikes, and whether commercial traffic can safely resume in the strait.

Merchant shipping operators, Gulf states and U.S. forces are now all exposed to the consequences of any further attacks in or near the waterway. A prolonged interruption could deepen fuel-price pressure and add volatility to broader markets.

Axios reported Vice President JD Vance said the U.S. demands the Strait of Hormuz remain open to international shipping, reinforcing how central the passage has become to Washington's response.

What comes next

The next steps hinge on whether Iran responds to the latest U.S. strikes, whether the United States takes additional action to secure shipping, and whether mediators can restore the ceasefire before the disruption deepens.

For now, the immediate question is not only whether the fighting expands, but whether commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz can resume at all.