Trump Tells Aides He Won't Go to Full War with Iran Unless US Soldiers Killed

US officials say President Donald Trump has privately told aides he would consider ending the ceasefire with Iran only if Tehran kills American troops. These officials stressed that the weeks-long pause in airstrikes remains in effect despite ongoing violent clashes.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump's reluctance to restart the US-Iran war suggests he may be willing to endure smaller-scale clashes for weeks or even months to avoid a broader conflict in the Middle East.

The US and Iran this week engaged in their most intense firefight since the ceasefire took effect in early April. Iran fired missiles and drones at US bases in the region and Kuwait International Airport, killing one person.

Fighting over control of the Strait of Hormuz has severely disrupted global energy markets and international shipping. Tehran has restricted free trade through this strategic waterway, while the US has imposed a strict blockade on Iranian ports.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the back-and-forth attacks are defensive in nature and do not represent a return to full-scale war.

"These actions are happening in response to Iran's actions. If they don't fire at those ships, we won't fire either, but we have to respond," Rubio said today at a House of Representatives hearing.

However, US officials say the ongoing attacks are putting more pressure on Trump and raising questions about the long-term viability of the ceasefire. Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly said he is close to signing a deal to end the war, which would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, dismantle Iran's nuclear facilities, and remove its enriched uranium stockpile.

Trump added that he is not in a hurry to finalize the deal, saying in an interview with the New York Post published today that the US blockade is unlikely to last until Labor Day, though it remains possible. At the same time, Trump immediately intervened to urge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel a planned military offensive in Lebanon, as those actions threatened diplomatic progress.

Trump and his aides have vowed that the conflict, which broke out on February 28, will not last more than six weeks, stating the goal is to eliminate Tehran's nuclear and missile threats.

"In that part of the world, a ceasefire means firing in a more gentle way," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office today. He said the situation is under control and peace talks with Iran are progressing.

"It takes two to tango. We hit them hard on other things first, so they are responding this way," he said.

A White House official reiterated that Trump prefers diplomacy to get Iran to give up its nuclear program but has made his red line clear.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said today that Israel's attack on Beirut will lead to a return to full-scale war, linking the fate of this conflict to the future of the US-Iran ceasefire.