TOI correspondent from Washington: US President Donald Trump continued his ‘cool’ stance towards Iran as the two sides exchanged gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday amid a diplomatic standoff. While the global community is realizing that Washington may have overplayed its hand in the conflict, signs of Iranian resilience and defiance have prompted Trump to raise what he sees as another indirect nuclear threat against the country he has repeatedly threatened to annihilate. Emphasizing that the ceasefire with Iran is still in effect despite increasing hostilities in the Gulf, Trump told reporters, “If there’s no ceasefire, you won’t know. You just have to see a big flash coming out of Iran.” The “big flash” comment seemed close to a nuclear threat, and he followed it up with another ultimatum: “They better sign the deal quickly… If they don’t sign, they’re going to be in a lot of pain.“The comments came after renewed missile exchanges, drone strikes and naval skirmishes in and around the Gulf on Thursday, although Washington is insisting that talks with Tehran are still ongoing. Administration officials later attempted to soften the interpretation of the nuclear threat, arguing that the President was referring broadly to US military power. Trump’s threats also coincided oddly with the latest intelligence leaks, which show the US may no longer hold the commanding hand the White House publicly projects. A classified CIA assessment reportedly circulated among senior policymakers concludes that Iran could withstand a US-led naval blockade around the Strait of Hormuz for at least three to four months – and possibly longer – despite heavy bombing and severe economic pressure. Intelligence reportedly estimates that Iran still retains about 70 percent of its missile-launch capability and has restarted parts of its missile production network even as Trump claims to be dismantling them, leaving Iran with less than 20 percent capability. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi taunted and trolled Trump over the issue, claiming that Tehran’s missile inventory and launch capability was 120 percent, far above US estimates. “Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the US opts for a reckless military adventure. Is this a crude pressure tactic? Or the result of spoilers once again pushing POTUS into yet another quagmire?” Araghchi said in a post on Twitter as reports in the US media began to question Trump’s claims about Iran’s disengagement. The intelligence findings refute repeated White House claims that Tehran is on the brink of military and economic collapse. Instead, intelligence officials reportedly warned that Iran appeared ready for a protracted war due to Washington’s limited political patience and the growing strain on US military stockpiles.Those concerns were heightened by another report resonating in strategic circles in Washington. Under the striking headline “China sees a ‘limping giant’ as US sheds arms on Iran war,” analysts close to Beijing argued that America’s long-running Iran campaign is increasingly weakening its deterrent posture in the Pacific, particularly on Taiwan.Chinese analysts reportedly believe the Iran conflict is exposing weaknesses in US logistics, missile stockpiles and political stamina – an assessment that is likely to sharpen Beijing’s leverage in future negotiations with Washington. Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing later this month, and for now, the image emerging from both reports is of a superpower quietly trying to look like a superpower while facing the arithmetic of overstretch.This contradiction was visible again on Thursday when Trump simultaneously claimed that Iran was “blown up in two minutes” following the latest clashes in the Gulf while also insisting that talks were “going very well.” Given the growing public uneasiness about yet another far-reaching war, the American President has also become a frequent butt of jokes on late night television. The latest military exchange began late Wednesday when Iranian drones and anti-ship missiles reportedly targeted US naval assets escorting commercial shipping near Hormuz. Pentagon officials said U.S. destroyers intercepted several projectiles, although regional reports indicated at least one ship suffered minor damage. Meanwhile, Iran accused Washington of violating the ceasefire framework through continued maritime interference and aerial surveillance operations near Iranian territory.Inside Washington, the conflict is also exposing rifts within Trump’s own coalition. Some Republican supporters are pushing for a broader strike on Iranian infrastructure and Revolutionary Guard leadership targets, arguing that Tehran is showing inflexibility because Washington has not taken enough action. But another faction — which includes many military officers and conservative foreign-policy skeptics — fears the administration is heading into an open regional war with unclear objectives, rising costs and diminishing strategic returns.