The Pentagon has demanded over $100 billion for military hardware, including missile interceptors and drone technology, as US President Donald Trump threatened renewed bombing and stated he was "highly unlikely" to renew a fragile two-week ceasefire set to expire Wednesday. This escalation in military spending and rhetoric coincides with ongoing civilian casualties and diplomatic efforts that fail to address the root causes of conflict.
President Trump told Bloomberg News on Monday that he was "highly unlikely" to renew the ceasefire. In a CNBC interview, he stated, "Well, I don’t want to do that. We don’t have that much time," when asked about continuing the ceasefire if progress occurred in Iran talks. Trump added, "Well, I expect to be bombing because I think that’s a better attitude to go in with," and asserted, "But, you know, we’re ready to go. I mean, the military is raring to go."
Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, wrote on X that "We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats" and indicated the Islamic Republic was preparing "to reveal new cards on the battlefield." Iranian state television issued an alert denying any delegation had visited Islamabad "so far," despite speculation about possible talks.
Fighting since the war began has killed at least 3,375 people in Iran and more than 2,290 in Lebanon. Twenty-three people have died in Israel and over a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon and 13 U.S. service members throughout the region have also been killed.
In Gaza, Israeli strikes killed at least five people early Tuesday, according to hospital authorities. Four suspected militants were killed in a drone strike in Khan Younis, and a 30-year-old woman was killed in Beit Lahiya when the Israeli navy opened fire toward tents sheltering displaced people.
Iran’s judiciary announced the hanging of Amir Ali Mir Jafari, a man convicted over allegedly setting fire to a mosque during nationwide protests in January. This follows previous executions related to the January protests, which President Trump had described as a red line before the recent war.
Who Profits from Perpetual War
The Pentagon’s budget proposal seeks to spend more than $30 billion to acquire critical munitions, including Patriot air defense systems and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors, whose stockpiles have been depleted during the Iran war. This allocation also covers long-range Precision Strike Missiles and Mid-Range Capability missile systems for the U.S. Army.
Additionally, the Pentagon’s $1.5 trillion budget proposal allocates nearly $54 billion for military drones and related technology, alongside $21 billion for weapons systems designed to counter enemy drones. Jules Hurst III, the acting undersecretary of defense, comptroller, stated that "Drone warfare is rapidly reshaping the modern battlefield" and that this budget represents "the largest investment in drone warfare and counter-drone technology in U.S. history."
Further demonstrating the state’s role in securing capital, U.S. forces boarded the M/T Tifani, an oil tanker previously sanctioned for smuggling Iranian crude oil in Asia. The Pentagon stated that "international waters are not a refuge for sanctioned vessels," asserting control over resource flows.
The Illusion of Diplomacy
Amidst these military preparations, Pakistan-led mediators confirmed that top negotiators would arrive in Islamabad for a new round of ceasefire talks. Pakistani authorities have deployed thousands of security personnel and increased patrols in the capital, with security arrangements stricter than those for the first round of talks earlier in the month.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker and urged an extension of the ceasefire and continued diplomacy, emphasizing dialogue as the "only viable means to address challenges and achieve lasting regional peace and stability." China also expressed support for Pakistan’s efforts, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stating that the situation is "at a critical stage of transition between war and peace" and urging all parties to show "utmost sincerity."
However, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described the conflict as having triggered "the most severe energy crisis in a generation." U.N. climate chief Simon Stiell warned that "Fossil fuel driven stagflation is now stalking economies, driving up prices, driving down growth, pushing budgets deeper into the quagmire of debt and stripping away governments’ policy options and autonomy." Guterres added that fossil fuels are "not just wrecking our planet, they are holding economies hostage."
Managing the Contradictions: The Board of Peace
Trump’s proposed "Board of Peace," established about seven months ago to oversee his plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza, is chaired by Trump and recognized by the UN Security Council, though many major powers have not joined. The plan, agreed to by Israel and Hamas about six months ago, envisions Israeli troops withdrawing from Gaza and reconstruction beginning as Hamas lays down its weapons. Hamas disarmament remains a central obstacle in talks to implement the plan and cement the October ceasefire that halted two years of full-blown war.
Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s lead envoy for Gaza, expressed "fairly optimistic" views on reaching a plan for disarmament of Hamas and other militant groups, but cautioned it would "take time." He noted that discussions with Hamas have been "not easy." Mladenov stated that work was underway on an implementation plan that would include disarmament, new governance in Gaza, and provisions for an Israeli withdrawal. Despite about $17 billion committed by U.S. allies and the U.S. to the Board of Peace, member states can earn permanent membership by paying $1 billion. Violence has continued in the Palestinian territory, much of which remains in ruins, despite these diplomatic frameworks.