Trump’s intense attacks have failed to sway Iran. He’s trying again anyway

Analysts say the renewed bombing campaign by the US is more likely ‌to ‘harden’ Tehran’s position President Donald ⁠Trump has ramped up US air strikes on Iran and threatened broader escalation, but there is ⁠little sign that a military strategy that has already failed to extract concessions from Tehran will succeed this time. With the collapse of an interim ceasefire deal reached a month ago, Trump finds himself in a bind as he seeks to break Iran’s grip on the vital Strait of Hormuz and force Tehran to accept his demands. While the two sides have so far avoided a return to full-scale conflict, hopes of finding an off-ramp any time soon have faded in a crisis that has again driven up global oil prices and sent shock waves through financial markets. A wave of tit-for-tat attacks continued into a sixth day on Thursday while Iran signalled it ‌could prod its Houthi allies in Yemen to close another vital oil-shipping strait – the Bab al-Mandeb at the mouth of the Red Sea – if Washington hits Iran’s power infrastructure as Trump has threatened.

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