Rather than responding to a fresh American strike, Tehran chose to restart the fight itself, showing a growing willingness to use military force to shape the course of the war on its own terms. Trump had attributed last week's pause to a request from Iran because "they asked us very nicely" and wanted talks. Iran had stopped firing, he suggested, but would not hesitate to resume hostilities if its claim of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz was challenged. From Tehran's perspective, Washington's pause in attacks on Iran reflects "strategic weakness rather than restraint," Citrinowicz wrote. That perception risks fueling a cycle in which Iran escalates to impose greater costs, while neither side backs down for fear of losing credibility.