President Donald Trump publicly thanked Iran on Wednesday for releasing an American woman he stated was wrongly detained, characterizing the move as a "gesture of goodwill." The woman, identified as Dena Karari by her attorney, has been released and is en route to the United States.
"Iran has allowed an American Citizen, who was wrongfully detained in December of 2024 under the "presidency" of Sleepy Joe Biden, to leave the Country," Trump wrote on social media platform Truth Social. "She is now safely outside of Iran, and in good condition. The United States of America appreciates this gesture of Goodwill by Iran!"
Karari's attorney, Jared Genser, confirmed her release on X, stating she had been held in Iran since December 2024 on "bogus charges." He credited Trump's "extraordinary and relentless efforts" for her safe return.
The release occurs against a backdrop of escalating tensions and military actions between the U.S. and Iran. On Tuesday, Trump reinstated a naval blockade of Iran, restricting ships from entering or leaving its ports. This action followed an attack on a commercial vessel and Tehran's declaration that the Strait of Hormuz was closed.
Trump also announced that the U.S. would levy a 20 percent tariff for ensuring safe passage for commercial vessels through the Persian Gulf, stating the U.S. would henceforth be known as "The Guardian of the Hormuz Strait." The specifics of this tariff demand were not immediately detailed.
Military Offensive Planned
Reports indicate that Trump met with top military officials on Tuesday in the Situation Room to discuss a large-scale military offensive against Iran. This potential operation is described as dwarfing current strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, which has been subjected to airstrikes for four consecutive nights amidst a 137-day conflict.
Attendees at the meeting reportedly included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine. The discussions focused on new strikes targeting strategic locations within Iran and additional actions in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. officials have stated the objective of the ongoing strikes is to eliminate Iran's capacity to attack shipping vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. In response to U.S. pressure, Iran has continued to launch missiles and suicide drones targeting American military bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
The current U.S. airstrikes have primarily targeted Iran's air defense networks, radar systems, anti-ship missile batteries, and drone launch sites. Iran's army reported on Wednesday that at least seven personnel were killed in strikes on a military base in Bampur overnight.
Trump told Fox News on Tuesday that U.S. forces would continue to strike Iran "very hard" over the coming days until he determined it was sufficient. "I'll save the energy targets for last, but ultimately we'll hit energy targets," Trump stated, adding that power plants would be targeted the following week. He also indicated that bridges would be targeted unless Iran negotiated a peace deal that included abandoning its nuclear ambitions.
Trump vowed that the attacks would persist "until I say it’s enough."