On Thursday, Trump stated that he had canceled plans for a new round of military strikes against Iran; just hours earlier, he had threatened to launch "very severe" attacks against Iran that night and to fully take control of Iran's oil and gas industries. Trump said on social media that progress had been made in discussions with senior Iranian leaders, prompting his sudden reversal. He also hinted that negotiations to extend the fragile ceasefire were advancing. Subsequently, during a phone rally supporting his preferred candidate in Alabama’s Senate race, Representative Barry Moore, Trump claimed that U.S. representatives had reached a "major agreement" on Iran.
In response, Iran warned it would respond with even harsher measures if the United States launched another attack. The Joint Command Headquarters of Iran's Armed Forces, Hamān-e Anbiyā Central Command, issued an official statement through state media on Thursday, saying that given recent U.S. threats to target Iran’s oil infrastructure, "oil and gas exports will either be accessible to all or unavailable to anyone." The command further stated that should the conflict escalate further, it would become broader and more prolonged, worsening regional security conditions. Later that evening, Iran launched drones toward vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. official said the move aimed to attack commercial ships traversing the strait that night. The U.S. military shot down two of the Iranian drones. Earlier, Iran’s military reported intercepting a "non-compliant vessel" attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran has declared the closure of this global energy transit route, but U.S. officials confirmed that commercial shipping continues to enter and exit the strait.
If the war escalates significantly, it is almost certain to face resistance in Congress and further deepen divisions within the Republican Party. Previously, when Trump proposed sending ground troops, some Republican lawmakers from competitive districts distanced themselves from him. Moderate Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and others are preparing to continue opposing Trump’s stance on war authorization.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867764254453899/
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