The U.S. and Iran lurch back toward all-out war : NPR

Key Points:

• A week after a preliminary U.S.-Iran deal aimed at ending the war, an Iranian drone attacked a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, sparking escalating hostilities that have undermined the agreement and raised fears of full-scale war.
• Iran insists on controlling the Strait of Hormuz and opposes an alternative shipping route overseen by the U.S., claiming the preliminary deal allows it to manage traffic and charge fees, while the U.S. maintains the strait should remain open and toll-free.
• The conflict has seen a cycle of attacks and retaliations, including U.S. strikes on Iranian military sites, Iranian attacks on Gulf states hosting U.S. troops, and assaults on commercial ships, with diplomatic efforts failing to halt the violence.
• The U.S. recently expanded strikes to northern Iran, targeting civilian infrastructure such as bridges and power stations, while Iran retaliated by attacking a desalination plant in Kuwait, signaling that key red lines may have been crossed.
• President Trump has issued mixed signals, warning of harsher responses to further attacks but also suggesting limited long-term military engagement, while contemplating a possible forced seizure of strategic islands in the strait, which could escalate the conflict significantly.