Donald Trump’s return to the White House is seen to have brought ‘increased military conflicts and heightened uncertainty’

US officials have signalled that the operation was a one-off intervention and – hours after Iran launched a missile attack on a US base in Qatar – Trump announced an imminent ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

China, a key partner of Iran, condemned the American operation, saying it breached international law.

“Trump’s current term in office is not about establishing a new international order – it’s accelerating the deglobalisation trend that began during his previous presidency,” said Yan Xuetong, a foreign policy expert and international relations professor at Tsinghua University.

“The result is increased military conflicts and heightened uncertainty in the international community,” he said on Thursday during a press briefing on next week’s World Peace Forum in Beijing.