U.S., Iran trade strikes as Maine Democrat exits race

The United States and Iran traded new attacks overnight, deepening doubts about a fragile effort to end the war, while Democrats in Maine began a hurried search for a new Senate candidate after Graham Platner ended his campaign amid a sexual assault allegation he denies.

The U.S. military said it struck about 90 targets across Iran, including military sites in southern Iran along the coast and near the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command and NBC News. The strikes came after President Donald Trump said he considered the tenuous ceasefire with Iran to be over following Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran retaliated with attacks that triggered alerts in U.S.-allied Gulf states. NBC News reported attacks on at least three Gulf states, including Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. NPR reported that Iran launched air attacks in Kuwait and Bahrain against U.S. military installations, and that Kuwait’s military said it intercepted missiles and drones.

The renewed fighting marked a second day of escalation and raised questions about whether Washington and Tehran remain committed to a final deal to end the war, which NBC News reported was launched by the U.S. and Israel in February. Both sides accused the other of violating the terms of an interim agreement.

Asked about the ceasefire Wednesday at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump said, “It’s a very interesting question to me. I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore.”

Later, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Iran had called him about peace efforts and insisted Tehran was eager to reach an agreement. But he added, “I just don’t know that they’re worthy of making a deal. I don’t know that they’re going to honor the deal. That’s the problem.”

NPR reported that Israeli military forces were at “full readiness” for renewed war with Iran, according to Israeli media. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz abruptly canceled a public event to hold an emergency security meeting, NPR reported. The outlet also reported that the Israeli government generally backs the U.S. decision to strike Iran again, while ambiguity remains over Washington’s ultimate objectives.

Ali Vaez, Iran project director for the International Crisis Group, told NBC News that Trump’s pessimism about reaching a final agreement may be justified. “His pessimism in not getting a final agreement, I think, is well placed, but that doesn’t mean that, you know, the no war, no agreement, no peace situation is also sustainable,” Vaez said.

In Maine, Platner announced he was ending his U.S. Senate campaign after a woman he dated accused him of sexual assault in 2021. NPR described the allegation as rape. Platner denied the accusation, calling it false, and said his decision was not an admission of guilt.

“We’re not doing it because of the allegations; we’re doing it because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power,” Platner said in a video. NPR reported that he blamed a “political system not built for normal people.”

His withdrawal leaves Democrats racing to replace him before Maine’s July 27 deadline. The state party said it will hold a nominating convention and promised transparency. Democrats view the race as important to their hopes of winning Senate control, NPR reported, because they see longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins as vulnerable.

One well-known Maine native has already ruled out a bid: actor Patrick Dempsey. In an op-ed, he wrote, “The answer is no.”