President Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Iran to end the conflict was “over”, adding he didn’t want to engage with Tehran any further after Iran once again fired on shipping.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired missiles at three commercial tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz for using the Omani side of the Strait on Tuesday.
President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at the 450th mile of the new border wall Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, near the Texas Mexico border. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)
The vessels struck included a Qatari-owned LNG tanker, a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker, M/T Wedyan, and a Liberian-flagged M/T Cyprus Prosperity.
The US responded to this latest violation by Iran by conducting a new wave of airstrikes on the Islamic Republic.
Trump Blasts Iranian Leadership As “Scum”
A day after telling media members in the White House that “We’re either going to make a deal or we’re going to finish the job…We can knock down their bridges in one hour, we can knock out their energy supply,” the US responded to attacks on three tankers by resuming air strikes.
“To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them,” Trump said ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, about conducting further talks with Iran.
“They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people,” he added while seated next to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them.”
President Donald Trump attends UFC 314 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, Saturday, April 12, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
The U.S. on Tuesday reinstated sanctions after the attack on the tankers in the Strait, after allowing Iran to sell oil, as part of the MoU.
Trump Adds “Iran Asked For A Timeout” For Khamenei’s Funeral
President Trump said that the Iranian leadership asked for a “timeout” during the week-long funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, killed in US-Israeli strikes on the first day of the war.
“They asked for a timeout; they wanted to go to the funeral of Khamenei, and I said, ‘ Give it to them, and they start shooting missiles,’” Trump said.
“I mean, it was a crazy thing. Now we did kill him, so I guess you have to look at it that way”, he conceded.
“They also asked that we not kill them, and we said we’re not going to kill you”, during the funeral, Trump added.
CENTCOM Conducts Air Strikes On 80 Iranian Targets
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it completed strikes that hit over 80 targets in an effort to impose what it called high costs for targeting shipping. CENTCOM said it struck more than 60 small boats of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping.
“Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,” CENTCOM said in a post on “X”.
There are also reports via American officials of US airstrikes hitting Iranian air defenses, coastal surveillance systems, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship cruise missiles, and drone launch sites.
The IRGC, deemed a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union (EU), has been undermining negotiations by trying to force vessels to submit to its demands.
Iranian state media claimed the tankers were targeted after ignoring repeated warnings to avoid U.S.-backed Omani shipping routes.
Following the attacks on Kharg Island and other coastal targets, the IRGC launched a barrage of missiles and drones against American military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.
A CNN report stated that “The IRGC said in a Telegram post that a joint operation by its navy and air force targeted US military facilities at Bahrain’s Salman Port, where the US Fifth Fleet operates, as well as Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait.”
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters says that anyone supporting the US military, in connection with aggression against Iranian sovereignty, would be considered a legitimate target for the country’s armed forces.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted the headquarters, stating that “The origin of any support for the aggressive US Army in its aggression against the sovereignty and territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be a legitimate target for the Armed Forces.”
Explosions Reported At Oil Hubs At Kharg Island, Port Cities
Iranian Press TV reported explosions early Wednesday local time on Iran’s main oil hub, Kharg Island, on Qeshm Island, and in the southern port cities of Sirik and Bandar Abbas.
No civilian deaths were reported, but several people were injured by shrapnel from an “enemy projectile” that hit a commercial pier in Sirik, according to an Iranian state TV reporter.
The reports said strikes also hit fishing piers in Sirik and in Bandar Abbas, where several fishing boats were set ablaze.
According to a BBC report, the Iranians said the oil and gas infrastructure was not targeted and that oil exports were underway.
“Maybe we’ll take over Kharg Island,” President Trump said. “There may be a big attack, and it’ll knock out a lot of stuff.”
The fresh attacks caused oil prices to sharply increase by 3 percent overnight, as fears of a more widespread Middle East conflict grew.
Brent crude oil rose above $78 per barrel, its highest level in more than two weeks, while US benchmark crude climbed above $74 per barrel.
The prospects for any semblance of an agreement under the previous MoU now appear, as Trump said, dead. And the attacks on both sides will continue.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
