A former Pentagon adviser says President Donald Trump is coming across as “desperate” for a deal to end the war with Iran, even as he keeps threatening to bomb the country back to the “Stone Age.”
Jasmine El-Gamal told CNN that Iran is reading Trump’s mixed messages loud and clear: one minute he talks about negotiations, the next he vows heavy strikes in the coming weeks. “They know that if they keep hitting the US, Gulf allies, and global energy prices, they’ll have a stronger hand at the table,” she said. According to her, this back-and-forth isn’t bringing anyone closer to peace — it’s just making things messier.
Trump’s Wednesday night speech didn’t help calm nerves. He claimed the US has nearly finished the job and destroyed much of Iran’s military power, yet offered no clear exit plan beyond “a couple more weeks.” Meanwhile, fresh Iranian missile barrages hit northern Israel on Thursday, and rockets from Lebanon injured people in border areas.
French President Emmanuel Macron called any idea of forcing open the Strait of Hormuz with military power “unrealistic” and too risky. He said it would take forever and expose ships to Iranian missiles and Revolutionary Guards. Macron wants talks with Iran instead, pointing out this isn’t Europe’s war — the US and Israel started it alone.
On the Iranian side, the army chief delivered a blunt warning: if America tries any ground invasion, “no enemy troops should survive.” They’re watching every US move and promise a tough response.
Added to the mix are serious civilian claims — Iran says a new US Precision Strike Missile slammed into a crowded sports hall in Lamerd, killing 21 people including teenagers on the first day of strikes. Independent checks point to the weapon being a short-range US ballistic missile.
Five weeks in, gas prices are climbing, stocks dipped after Trump’s speech, and a new US poll shows most Americans just want out of this conflict fast. The big question now: will the tough talk lead to a real deal, or just more pain for everyone involved?
