Inside the tense Oval Office meeting where a furious Trump decided his deal with Iran was ‘over’
US reporter Brendan Rascius writes:
Shortly before Trump departed for a NATO summit in Turkey, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined him in the West Wing. They informed him that Iran had fired on three ships traversing the Strait of Hormuz within a span of a few hours.
Outraged, Trump asked his top advisers whether Tehran was negotiating in good faith toward a final deal to end the war, sources familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal. “In the end, after discussing it with his senior aides, the president decided they weren’t,” the outlet reported.
The response was swift. Trump ordered a barrage of strikes against Iran over the next two days, reinstated sanctions on Iranian oil sales and threatened to reimpose a U.S. blockade in the strait. On Wednesday, any ambiguity surrounding the ceasefire was dispensed with when the president said: “To me, I think it’s over.” Dealing with the Iranians, in his telling, was “a waste of time.”
Trump’s actions and statements this week have marked a sharp break from last month, when he signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran, which he hailed as a significant breakthrough in the pursuit of peace. The agreement brought an end to the conflict that started on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran. Trump has long said the war was to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon.
Harriette Boucher10 July 2026 03:29
Trump says he’s ‘number one’ on Iran’s target listTrump says he’s ‘number one’ on Iran’s target list
Harriette Boucher10 July 2026 02:58
Full story: Israel shared intelligence of new Iranian plot to kill Trump with US officials, report says
Israel reportedly shared intelligence with the US about potential plans by Iran to kill President Donald Trump.
The warning about the alleged plot, reported by The Wall Street Journal and CNN, comes amid growing tension between the U.S. and Israel over what the next phase of the Iran war and peace process should look like.
The Independent has contacted Iran’s mission to the United Nations and the Israeli embassy in Washington for comment.
When asked about the alleged intelligence tip, the White House pointed to President Trump’s comments yesterday, claiming that he was under threat from Iran.
“They want to take out the U.S. leader — me”, Trump said. “I’m on whatever list. I saw this morning I’m on every single one of their lists. And so far, I guess I’ve been a bit lucky, but maybe that doesn’t last very long. These are evil, sick people. And we have to root out that cancer. That cancer. You know what you do? You’ve got to cut out cancer early. And that’s the way I feel”.
Josh Marcus10 July 2026 02:36
In pictures: Mourners pack the streets for funeral of slain supreme leader
The top photos of the week by AP photojournalists (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
(Reuters)
Harriette Boucher10 July 2026 02:04
Over 30 ships transit the Strait of Hormuz: tracker
A total of 31 ships have transited the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours, despite hostilities resuming in the region, according to the Hormuz Strait Monitor.
Rachel Dobkin10 July 2026 01:38
ICYMI: Netanyahu declares the war in Iran is not over
Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that the war in Iran is “not over” as he again vowed that “with or without an agreement, Iran will not possess nuclear weapons.”
The Israeli prime minister said the US military was “a tremendous force multiplier” for Israel, The Times of Israel reported.
“Alongside old challenges, new ones continue to emerge. Old axes collapse, and new ones arise.
“We are preparing for every scenario. We know one thing: we must always remain stronger than our enemies.”
We reported earlier that defence minister Israel Katz said his country was prepared to “alert and prepared for the resumption of the campaign”.
Harriette Boucher10 July 2026 01:28
US prepared to strike Iran tonight if necessary: report
American forces are prepared to strike Iran tonight if necessary, several officials told CNN.
However, the US is trying its hand at diplomacy first, the officials said.
Crews on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, stationed in the Arabian Sea, south of Iran, have loaded fighter jets with weapons and equipment, CNN reported.
Fighter pilots have also carried out routine defensive operations, according to the outlet.
Rachel Dobkin10 July 2026 01:05
After weeks on hold, deal between Israel and Lebanon is progressing, says US official
Harriette Boucher10 July 2026 01:03
Israel tells US of new plot to kill Trump: report
Israel has shared intelligence with the US that it said indicates a new plot to kill President Donald Trump, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.
Trump has had a target on his back ever since he launched an airstrike that killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of the elite Quds Force with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, during his first term.
As hostilities with Iran resumed, Trump told reporters, “I’m No. 1 on the list for killing”.
The Independent has reached out to the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., and the White House for comment.
Rachel Dobkin10 July 2026 00:39
Fox News host says Rubio needs to ‘take the lead’ in Iran negotiations
Fox News host Brian Kilmeade has said US Secretary of State Rubio needs to “take the lead” in negotiations with Iran.
Kilmeade suggested sidelining US envoys Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and Steve Witkoff.
“I don’t think that Witkoff and Kushner should be the ones doing this. They’re business guys. They have not been effective in Ukraine, not been effective in Gaza. They have not been effective in this”, the TV host said.
“We have a State Department for a reason”, he added. “Marco Rubio, even Democrats admit, has been looked at as a genius, internationally…he should take the lead on this. Because you can’t do this like a business deal. You have to understand the history of the region and how distrustful the Iranians have been”.
Rachel Dobkin10 July 2026 00:17