Trump leaves at the end of his participation in the NATO leaders summit in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026. REUTERS/Yves Herman
US President Donald Trump’s struggle to extricate himself from the unpopular Iran war has hit a new roadblock with the latest exchange of attacks between the two sides.
Trump declared that an interim agreement to end the conflict was "over" and ordered fresh strikes on Wednesday after Iran targeted US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. This followed the US bombing of Iranian targets in response to attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
The flare-up has highlighted the difficulties the US president faces in forging a comprehensive peace deal and a face-saving exit from the war.
According to analysts, his choices are limited and mostly bad.
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