Fragile cease-fire tests Trump’s Iran war aims
With a two-week pause in place, Trump’s five stated aims—destroy Iran’s missiles, annihilate its navy, stop its regional proxies, prevent a nuclear weapon, and spark a domestic uprising—are only partially met: U.S. and Israeli strikes have damaged many missile facilities, but Iran still fields missiles and drones and retains mobile launchers; its navy controls the Strait of Hormuz and militias remain active; no sustained uprising has occurred and there’s no clear sign of a dismantled nuclear program. Negotiations will press for concessions during this fragile cease-fire, which could fray as region-wide attacks continue.
