Trump vows to attack Iran again today as Tehran keeps US waiting on deal
The remarks came as an extension of an earlier warning, wherein he had said that Iran was taking too long to negotiate a deal and that it would have to 'pay the price' for the delay.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed fresh military action against Iran, declaring that American forces would strike the country very hard unless Tehran agreed to a peace deal, while also revealing a previously undisclosed US operation to escort oil shipments through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
"We hit them hard yesterday and we're going to hit them hard again today," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, signaling a further escalation in the conflict between Washington and Tehran.
"We're going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard," Trump said at the White House, adding that Iran still had an opportunity to avoid further escalation. "Sign a deal," he urged, reiterating his call for a negotiated settlement.
Trump also disclosed details of what he described as a secret US military operation aimed at protecting commercial shipping and preventing a disruption in global oil supplies. According to the US President, American forces had been quietly escorting tankers carrying oil through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began.
"I'm just announcing today for the first time, but we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil, millions of barrels every night," Trump said, claiming the operation helped stabilise global crude prices despite the ongoing conflict.
The US President argued that without US intervention, oil prices could have surged dramatically.
"Millions of barrels of oil has come out, and that's why it's at $85-$90 a barrel, instead of $250," he said.
In another striking claim, Trump said the US military had escorted dozens of vessels through the narrow waterway under the cover of darkness.
"We took out the other night 22 ships, late at night with no lights, because they don't have any radar because we blasted the crap out of it," he said, without providing further operational details.
IRAN SIGNALS RECONSIDERING DIPLOMACY
As Trump kept up his usual posturing, Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran will stand firm against any pressure or threat. In a post on X, Pezeshkian described critical infrastructure as "the lifeblood of the nation" and condemned threats to target key civilian sectors.
"Critical infrastructures are the lifeblood of the people," he said. "Threats to target them -- from transportation networks to the electricity and water industries -- are not a show of strength but a sign of desperation in the face of a nation's will," he added.
Pezeshkian said Iran would rely on domestic expertise and national unity to confront external pressure.
"Iran, relying on the knowledge and capabilities of its specialists, national unity, and solidarity, will stand firm against any pressure or threat," he said.
Meanwhile, Tehran also said it would reassess diplomatic engagement with Washington after overnight tit-for-tat strikes.
Iran attacked American bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain with drones and missiles, calling it a retaliation for US strikes on Iranian targets around the conflict-hit Strait of Hormuz.
The exchange of fire, which came after Trump said Iran had downed a US Apache helicopter near the critical waterway, marks one of the most significant escalations since Tehran and Washington agreed to a ceasefire in April.
The American strikes targeted Iranian air defences, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites, according to the US military, which described the attacks as "proportional response" to the downing of the Apache chopper.
The escalation – just days after Iran exchanged strikes with Israel for the first time since the ceasefire – casts fresh doubt on prospects for a deal to end the war in the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed fresh military action against Iran, declaring that American forces would strike the country very hard unless Tehran agreed to a peace deal, while also revealing a previously undisclosed US operation to escort oil shipments through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
"We hit them hard yesterday and we're going to hit them hard again today," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, signaling a further escalation in the conflict between Washington and Tehran.
"We're going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard," Trump said at the White House, adding that Iran still had an opportunity to avoid further escalation. "Sign a deal," he urged, reiterating his call for a negotiated settlement.
Trump also disclosed details of what he described as a secret US military operation aimed at protecting commercial shipping and preventing a disruption in global oil supplies. According to the US President, American forces had been quietly escorting tankers carrying oil through the Strait of Hormuz since the conflict began.
"I'm just announcing today for the first time, but we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil, millions of barrels every night," Trump said, claiming the operation helped stabilise global crude prices despite the ongoing conflict.
The US President argued that without US intervention, oil prices could have surged dramatically.
"Millions of barrels of oil has come out, and that's why it's at $85-$90 a barrel, instead of $250," he said.
In another striking claim, Trump said the US military had escorted dozens of vessels through the narrow waterway under the cover of darkness.
"We took out the other night 22 ships, late at night with no lights, because they don't have any radar because we blasted the crap out of it," he said, without providing further operational details.
IRAN SIGNALS RECONSIDERING DIPLOMACY
As Trump kept up his usual posturing, Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran will stand firm against any pressure or threat. In a post on X, Pezeshkian described critical infrastructure as "the lifeblood of the nation" and condemned threats to target key civilian sectors.
"Critical infrastructures are the lifeblood of the people," he said. "Threats to target them -- from transportation networks to the electricity and water industries -- are not a show of strength but a sign of desperation in the face of a nation's will," he added.
Pezeshkian said Iran would rely on domestic expertise and national unity to confront external pressure.
"Iran, relying on the knowledge and capabilities of its specialists, national unity, and solidarity, will stand firm against any pressure or threat," he said.
Meanwhile, Tehran also said it would reassess diplomatic engagement with Washington after overnight tit-for-tat strikes.
Iran attacked American bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain with drones and missiles, calling it a retaliation for US strikes on Iranian targets around the conflict-hit Strait of Hormuz.
The exchange of fire, which came after Trump said Iran had downed a US Apache helicopter near the critical waterway, marks one of the most significant escalations since Tehran and Washington agreed to a ceasefire in April.
The American strikes targeted Iranian air defences, ground control stations and surveillance radar sites, according to the US military, which described the attacks as "proportional response" to the downing of the Apache chopper.
The escalation – just days after Iran exchanged strikes with Israel for the first time since the ceasefire – casts fresh doubt on prospects for a deal to end the war in the Middle East.
