WASHINGTON/ANKARA — The interimceasefire between the United States and Iran has collapsed in a precipitous turn of events on Wednesday, July 9, 2026, after President Donald Trump declared the memorandum of understanding (MoU) "over." observerbd.com

The escalatorystrikes on Iran came as peace talks were ongoing amid the days-long funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the early minutes of the US-Israel war on Iran back in February. observerbd.com They represent the largest such attacks since April, when both sides initially agreed to ceasefire talks.

Retaliation in the Strait of Hormuz

The United States launched dozens of strikes on Iran early on Wednesday in what it said was retaliation for Tehran’s attacks on commercial ships in the highly contested Strait of Hormuz, sparking widespread fears of the renewal of all-out war in the Middle East. observerbd.com

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) stated it had launched strikes on "over 80 targets" in Iran, decimating Iranian air defense systems, command and control networks, coastal radar sites, and more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) small boats. observerbd.com

— U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces completed a new round of offensive strikes against Iran, July 7, hitting over 80 targets with precision munitions as an...

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 8, 2026

Trump's Vitriolic Response at NATO

After the US attacks, President Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkiye, that he thinks the MoU with Iran is "over." observerbd.com While he "might" allow peace talks to continue for now, he said he believed they were a "waste of time." In an angrytirade, he referred to the Iran leadership as "scum" and "sick." observerbd.com

"We attacked very powerfully last night, the very dangerous people from Iran," Trump remarked to the press pool in Ankara. observerbd.com

Iran's Retaliation and Regional Fallout

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had responded to the strikes by targeting US assets in neighboring countries as sirens went off in Bahrain and Kuwait early on Wednesday. observerbd.com One of its members was killed by "enemy drones," the IRGC reported. observerbd.com

Both sides have blamed each other for breaking earlier agreements outlined in the MoU, which initiated a 60-day peace negotiation process three weeks ago. observerbd.com Wednesday marks the third time the US has launched major attacks on Iran while talks are ongoing, something Tehran has said has caused trust to break down. observerbd.com

Analysis: The collapse of the US-Iran ceasefire marks a critical juncture in Middle Eastern geopolitics, threatening to destabilize global oil markets and drag regional powers into a broader conflict.