Rubio calls the damage a success - the rubble responds in polite silence

Marco Rubio steps in front of the press and declares the large scale military operation against Iran complete. “Epic Fury” is over, the objectives achieved. One has to pause for a moment and really let that statement sink in: “objectives achieved” - if the war aim was in fact to destabilize the world globally, then yes - Mr Rubio is absolutely right, America has won. But if he means that America has achieved its military objectives, then he is describing a reality that apparently no one but Trump and himself can see.

But that is only half the statement, because Rubio has more to say. The conflict itself is not over, he says, and could flare up again at any time. While Washington publicly speaks of a completed operation, military activity continues, only under a new label.

At the center now is the so called Project Freedom. US forces are securing a route through the Strait of Hormuz to escort stranded commercial vessels. Rubio repeatedly emphasizes that these are not attacks. They will only respond if their own forces are threatened. Drones and missiles will be intercepted if necessary. This framing is meant to clearly separate a finished offensive from an ongoing operation that officially no longer counts as war.

The reality on the ground contradicts the political language. Thousands of seafarers remain stranded. Rubio speaks of around 23,000 civilian crew members from 87 countries, isolated, undersupplied, vulnerable. At least ten are said to have already died. So far, only two commercial vessels have used the corridor secured by the United States. The rest are waiting, because no one can guarantee that the situation will remain stable.

At the same time, Washington is increasing political pressure. Iran must agree to Donald Trump’s demands on the nuclear program and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Without these steps, there will be no peace. Rubio points out that Tehran’s behavior does not match its own statements. Progress in centrifuges, uranium enrichment and underground facilities is, in his view, evidence that Iran continues to pursue the option of a nuclear weapon.

The US government is also trying to exert influence internationally. Rubio turns his focus to China. As Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi travels to Beijing, he calls on Chinese leadership to pressure Tehran. The blockade is harming export dependent states above all. Whoever controls the strait is isolating itself globally. Domestically, this argument is increasingly challenged. China responds: foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning expresses sharp criticism of the entire US approach.

At the same time, Senator Jack Reed accuses Donald Trump of ignoring the law. The War Powers Act does not provide for a pause in a war in order to resume it later without congressional approval. That, he says, is exactly the administration’s line. Rubio goes further and calls the law completely unconstitutional. No concern - Mr Rubio lives in a reality he has constructed himself. It is very well maintained inside.

At the same time, communication is shifting. Donald Trump announces in the evening that the US escort operation will be temporarily paused. He provides the reason himself. They want to create space to reach an agreement with Iran. Who needs planning when there is such a talent for declaring things a success afterward. He speaks of “great progress” toward a comprehensive deal and refers to requests from Pakistan and other states. The military successes of recent weeks, he says, have been a decisive factor. Despite this pause, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains in place. Where exactly the success lies is something Trump will surely explain - once he finds it.

There are no concrete details about these alleged advances. When asked, the White House provides no additional information about the status of negotiations. Between public statements and verifiable facts, there is a gap.

Diplomatic tensions are also being downplayed. Ahead of a trip to the Vatican, Rubio minimizes differences between Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV. The president’s criticism, he says, stems from concern that Iran could one day use a nuclear weapon. For Trump, it is incomprehensible why anyone would accept that risk. The administration’s line remains contradictory. Militarily, it scales back, politically, it escalates. One operation officially ends while another begins. Negotiations are presented as progress without it becoming clear what they are leading to. The conflict is therefore neither over nor clearly defined, but has been pushed into a state that can tip in either direction at any moment.

To be continued .....