Trump says US attacks on Iran ‘very justified’, warns of ‘biggest attack yet’ | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump has warned Iran of a major escalation if Tehran retaliates after the United States launched new strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz.
“The United States is attacking Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz as we speak,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. He described the strikes as “large and powerful” and said they were carried out in retaliation for Iran’s alleged attempt to lay sea mines in a strategic waterway and for missile attacks on a US military base in Jordan.
Trump warned that Iran would face an even stronger response if it retaliated.
Trump warns of ‘biggest attack ever’
“If the failed nation of Iran retaliates against this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level,” Trump wrote. He added that the “biggest attack of all” was still “waiting in the wings” and warned that there would be “very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran” after it.
US military on IRGC strikes
The US military confirmed that US forces began attacking Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Tuesday.
“At 12:00 ET (1600 GMT) today, US forces began targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran,” US Central Command said on X. The strikes followed attempted IRGC attacks against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US service members deployed in the region.
Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations. State television said explosions were heard on Qeshm Island, while state-linked Nour News reported explosions in Bandar Abbas and Chabahar. Iran’s official news agency IRNA also reported on the explosions in Jask and Sirik.
Iran vows “crushing” retaliation
The General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces and the Joint Military Command vowed to retaliate, saying the country’s armed forces would deliver “overwhelming and devastating strikes” against the United States.
Iranian state television said US forces hit a fishmeal factory on Qeshm Island and civilian infrastructure in Hormozgan province. The report said that a fishing pier and a tower belonging to the Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization in Sirik were among the sites hit.
Tensions are rising between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz
The latest strikes further escalated tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supplies normally pass.
The US and Iran are now trying to assert control over the strategic waterway, which Tehran effectively closed after the start of the war. Oil prices rose as renewed clashes raised fears of further disruptions to global energy supplies.
Oil supply concerns push prices higher
Oil prices, already up 7% this week, extended gains after Tuesday’s strikes. Oil is up more than 50% this year, pushing U.S. gasoline prices higher. The average price of regular gasoline in the U.S. rose to about $4.10 a gallon, compared with $3.19 a year earlier, according to AAA.
The renewed military action comes after the Trump administration focused heavily on economic pressure, arguing that targeting Iran’s economy could push Tehran to breaking point. The escalation now comes as America’s stockpile of advanced missile interceptors has reportedly been under pressure and the conflict remains unpopular with many Americans.
