First Thing: Trump calls Iran’s leaders ‘scum’ and declares fragile ceasefire over

Hostilities between US and Iran resume as US president lashes out at ‘vicious, violent people’. Plus the fall out from the USMNT’s exit from the Fifa World Cup

Good morning. Hostilities have resumed between the US and Iran. Tehran accused the US of violating the agreement intended to end the war, after the US military launched strikes around the strait of Hormuz and revoked a temporary sanctions waiver for Iranian oil exports. The attacks were the latest in a string of ceasefire violations by the two sides despite a truce that came into effect in April, and have led to an immediate 3% rise in oil prices.

Speaking at the Nato summit in Ankara, Donald Trump said the memorandum of understanding with Iran was over and called the country’s leaders “vicious, violent people” who he would not deal with because they were, in the US president’s words, “scum”. He nevertheless appeared to indicate that talks would continue. Nato’s ⁠secretary general, Mark Rutte, backed the US attacks, saying: “When you ​have ‌a ‌ceasefire and Iran ‌is basically violating the ceasefire, I think it is ‌totally crucial that the ​US forcefully react.”

What occurred to break the fragile ceasefire? The US military said that it hit more than 80 targets in the early hours of Wednesday in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were ⁠passing through the strait of Hormuz on Tuesday. Iran responded by launching attacks on US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said 85 facilities had been targeted.

How could Democrats replace Platner? It is possible for Democrats to select a new Senate nominee in Maine, but the clock is ticking. To have a new candidate on the ballot for November’s midterm elections, Platner needs to end his campaign by 5pm ET on 13 July, according to state law. That would give the Democrats a two-week window – until 5pm ET on 27 July – to pick a replacement.

Continue reading...