Nournews: During his campaign, Donald Trump frequently spoke of “ending endless wars” and presented himself as a peace-seeking president. However, in just the first five months of his new presidency, data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) reveals that the United States, under his command, conducted 529 airstrikes in 240 different locations. This astonishing number is nearly equal to the total number of airstrikes during Biden’s entire four-year term, clearly showing that Trump’s peace rhetoric remained nothing more than a slogan.
Objective: Redefining power through displaying threats
Most of these strikes occurred in critical areas such as Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, and North Africa. Rather than being interpreted solely as “counterterrorism” operations, these actions are seen as part of a new U.S. strategy aimed at intimidating strategic rivals like Iran, China, and Russia. Analysts argue that the Trump administration, by leveraging military tools, seeks to redefine regional security equations and reassert American hegemony amid instability. This path not only blocks avenues for dialogue but also fuels arms races and geopolitical chaos.
Return to a doctrine of unilateralism
The quantitative and qualitative intensification of these attacks is reminiscent of the neoconservative doctrine pursued by the Bush administration in the 2000s—a doctrine that, through a preemptive war on Iraq, plunged the region into a firestorm of extremism and terrorism. Trump, now disregarding the costly lessons of the past, is following the same path with even greater intensity. In this framework, international law, multilateral institutions, and the principles of the UN Charter are sidelined, replaced by dominance rather than cooperation. This return to unilateralism represents a serious threat to the rules-based international order.
Attacking peaceful facilities: Crossing all red lines
The increase in U.S. airstrikes in various regions has not only drawn reactions from the public and human rights organizations but also signals the dangerous expansion of the crisis. In this context, Donald Trump, during his new presidency, officially announced on June 22, 2025, that in an operation titled “Midnight Hammer,” U.S. air and naval forces attacked several of Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. This operation was conducted using B-2 stealth bombers, GBU-57A/B bunker-buster bombs, and Tomahawk missiles launched from submarines. In a public statement, Trump proudly declared the “destruction of Iran’s nuclear capabilities.” This action is a blatant violation of international law and a direct threat to both regional and global peace—an act that has set the stage for further escalation of conflicts in West Asia.
NOURNEWS