Day 21 of Middle East conflict — Trump considers ‘winding down’ war but officials say more troops deployed | CNN

• Follow the latest updates on the war with Iran here. • War timeline: US President Donald Trump said on social media Friday the US is considering “winding down” military efforts in the Middle East. But officials said thousands more US troops are heading there. And a senior Iranian source told CNN that Tehran doesn’t believe Trump’s claim. • Berating allies: Trump also called NATO allies “cowards” for not helping the US secure the Strait of Hormuz. He downplayed prospects of a ceasefire. • Oil market: US temporarily lifted sanctions on 140 million barrels of Iranian oil as the price of Brent crude settled at $112.19 a barrel Friday, its highest so far in the war. Goldman Sachs suggested that higher prices could last through 2027. • Town hall: US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, speaking at a CNN town hall Friday night, defended the lifting of sanctions on some Iranian oil, describing the move as “very temporary.” US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz took questions Friday night from CNN’s Dana Bash and a studio audience in New York about the administration’s war with Iran. He defended President Donald Trump and, at times, seemed to struggle to respond to