Trump says Iran war pause is over after Hormuz accusations
Al Jazeera reported that new US and Iranian attacks have put a ceasefire and memorandum of understanding at risk.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
United States President Donald Trump said this week that an agreement pausing the war with Iran was over and ordered new strikes, Al Jazeera reported. The move has put a recent ceasefire and memorandum of understanding under strain, raising pressure on regional mediators trying to reduce tensions.
According to Al Jazeera, Trump accused Iranian forces of breaching the ceasefire by attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway was the flashpoint cited by Washington as the reason for the renewed US military action.
Tehran responded quickly, Al Jazeera reported, targeting US interests in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. The exchange marked the sharpest escalation since the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding last month.
That memorandum was intended to create space for further talks and lead toward a permanent agreement to end the war, according to Al Jazeera. The latest attacks have instead placed both the ceasefire and the broader diplomatic track in jeopardy.
Mediators try to contain the crisis
Al Jazeera reported that regional mediators are now working to ease the tension between Washington and Tehran. The report did not identify the mediators involved in the current effort or describe the specific steps being taken.
The escalation comes after earlier diplomatic movement around proposals to end the war. Al Jazeera has reported on Iran reviewing a US proposal and on Pakistan increasing mediation efforts, as well as statements from US and Iranian-linked officials that talks had made progress while Tehran remained cautious.
The current rupture leaves the immediate status of the war pause unclear. Trump has declared the agreement over, according to Al Jazeera, while the memorandum was described as a path to more talks rather than a final settlement.
Analysts weigh the outlook
Al Jazeera examined the crisis in a 28-minute programme presented by Per Nyberg. The guests were Hakimeh Saghaye-Biria, an assistant professor at the University of Tehran; Salman Shaikh, founder of the peacebuilding organisation The Shaikh Group; and Kirsten Fontenrose, a non-resident senior fellow at the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council.
The central issue now is whether diplomacy can survive the renewed exchange of attacks. Al Jazeera framed the moment as a test of the ceasefire, the memorandum of understanding and the ability of regional mediation to prevent a wider breakdown.
The programme was published on July 10, 2026, as the confrontation between the United States and Iran entered a more volatile phase. Al Jazeera reported no new permanent deal and no confirmed return to talks after the latest attacks.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.