Despite categorically not having achieved the vast majority of its initial proposed military goals, the Trump administration now seemingly declares its initial operation in the region, named "Epic Fury", to be completed.
This comes from Secretary of State Marco Rubio (through Time Magazine) at a White House briefing few hours ago.
"The operation is over. We're done with that stage of it" he says. Speculation is now increasing as to what the long-term goals of the US presence in the region might be, as the fragile ceasefire holds amidst weapons fired from both sides in the Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio claims the US military present has shifted to a "defensive" posture focused primarily on restoring commercial vessel passage through the Strait, although how talks on Iran's nuclear enrichment program, their proxies in neighbouring regions and the overall health of the regime evolves remains unknown.
This comes as President Trump has paused Project Freedom, offering safe passage to select commercial vessels, because diplomatic talks with Iran appear "promising".