Mike Baker

Now, Iran then retaliated by launching missiles and drones at American positions in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

US and regional officials say most of those threats were intercepted and no American casualties have been reported.

So at least for now, the pattern does appear somewhat predictable.

Iran strikes, the U.S.

responds, Iran answers, the U.S.

responds again.

Yet despite the escalating military exchanges, both the U.S.

and Iran continue to insist they remain open to diplomacy.

Ah, of course, here we go with the part where one or the other side says the ceasefire is technically still in effect and the U.S.

expresses optimism that a deal could be very close.

Apologies for my cynical nature.

But while the latest exchange of missiles, drones, and airstrikes may dominate today's headlines, new reporting suggests the roots of this particular latest crisis run deeper than the last few days of military action.

According to Axios, President Trump had been growing increasingly frustrated with Iran's handling of negotiations long before an Iranian drone brought down the American helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week.

In fact, the helicopter incident appears to have landed at precisely the wrong moment.

Behind the scenes, U.S.

negotiators had been waiting nearly two weeks for a response to President Trump's latest proposal for ending the conflict and reopening the strait to unrestricted commercial traffic.

The proposal itself reportedly included a significant American concession.

According to Axios, Trump was willing to allow Iran to down-blend its stockpile of enriched uranium inside Iran under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Previous U.S.

proposals had insisted that the material be removed from the country altogether.