President Donald Trump stated that the United States has a severe plan for Iran's nuclear facilities, with potential strikes on energy targets as early as the following week, unless the country agrees to negotiate. In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday night, Trump indicated that U.S. forces would continue strikes, saying, "We're going to hit them very hard the night after, and then next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants."
Trump described Iran as akin to "a great boxer" that needs to be subdued. He suggested that while he has threatened escalating attacks for months, the targeting of energy infrastructure has been held back. "I'll save the energy targets for last, but ultimately we'll hit energy targets," Trump added. He also expressed skepticism about immediate negotiations, stating, "they lie," though he noted he had a recent conversation with negotiators.
The President warned Iran, "You better make a deal, or you're not going to have anything left," emphasizing that U.S. forces have so far avoided harming civilians but this could change. He also did not rule out the potential use of ground forces to achieve objectives, particularly concerning Iran's enriched uranium.
The U.S. military announced it has reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports in response to recent attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. This action coincides with concerns about a return to widespread conflict as an interim ceasefire deal unravels. U.S. Central Command reported the presence of numerous warships, including two aircraft carriers and an amphibious assault ship with over 1,000 Marines, in the northern Arabian Sea to enforce the blockade. Hundreds of military aircraft are also operating across the Middle East, according to the command.
U.S. military strikes commenced an hour before the naval blockade's activation at 4 p.m. eastern time, aimed at degrading Iran's capacity to target merchant shipping. U.S. Central Command stated the objective is to "continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping."
Reports from Iranian state media indicated explosions in the southwestern city of Ahvaz and the southern port city of Bandar Abbas. The U.S. military reported that nearly a dozen civilians have been killed, injured, or are missing following Iranian attacks on seven commercial ships over the past week. Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, stated that Iran had also launched missiles and drones at neighboring Gulf countries, and that "U.S. forces are holding Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression that continues to endanger innocent lives."
The current escalation follows the collapse of a truce last week, during which Iran targeted three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, leading to U.S. retaliatory strikes. Trump declared the deal defunct during a summit in Ankara, Turkey. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for approximately one-fifth of the world's oil supply, has been a focal point of tension since February. Following Tuesday's strikes, Brent crude oil prices rose above $86 a barrel, adding to a significant increase from the previous day as traders anticipate potential disruptions to global oil supplies.
In the past week, Iran has claimed responsibility for strikes targeting various Middle Eastern countries with U.S. military bases, including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar. U.S. forces have targeted Iranian missile and drone sites, naval assets, ammunition storage, and communication networks.