U.S. President Donald Trump said early Thursday that the United States had struck Iran “very hard,” warning that Washington would respond with overwhelming force to any future attacks.
“We just hit them very hard,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from the NATO Summit in Türkiye. “Every time they hit us, we’ll hit them back twenty times harder.”
He added, “That’s what we did last night. They carried out a small action today, but it was really retaliation for what happened last night.”
Trump had earlier ordered a new wave of strikes against Iran, warning of “far worse” consequences if Tehran continued targeting ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces had conducted additional strikes against Iran aimed at degrading its ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian media reported hearing explosions in several areas at the same time CENTCOM announced the new strikes.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a major flashpoint in the conflict that erupted on 28 February following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran that resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has maintained, despite U.S. objections, that the pre-war status quo in the Strait of Hormuz—where ships transited without Iranian fees or oversight—will not be restored. Tehran has also threatened to target vessels attempting to use routes other than the single shipping lane it has authorized along its coastline.
AFP
