Hormuz Strait: ‘We’re Going To Hit Them Hard’, Trump Issues Fresh Threat Against Iran
Adedokun Waliyu
4 min read
US President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to hit Iran “hard” after the two countries traded fire for the first time in weeks, as his Treasury Secretary vowed to maintain a pressure campaign aimed at weakening Tehran’s economy.
After six months of war, the two sides remain at an impasse, with Iran keeping the strategic Strait of Hormuz closed and the United States maintaining a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.
The latest escalation came after the United States carried out strikes on an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran quickly retaliated by attacking US military targets in the Middle East.
The exchange raised fears of a return to major hostilities, with Trump vowing to respond.
“We’re going to hit them hard,” Trump said. “There will be a response.”
The United States said it attacked Iranian rocket launchers on the island of Larak to prevent Tehran from planting mines in the key shipping lane.
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks aimed at Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, saying the attacks targeted US forces stationed there. However, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian later called for dialogue.
“We continue to strive for a path of agreement and understanding, and we believe that continuing the war is neither in our interest, nor in the interest of the region,” Pezeshkian said at a summit in Kyrgyzstan.
He added that the solution to the existing problems was dialogue and cooperation.
Missiles, Drones
State media reported that three people were killed in the US attack on Larak, while several others were wounded.
Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guards said the ballistic missile attack targeting two US air bases in Jordan caused heavy damage.
Trump, however, said all the missiles fired at US forces had been intercepted except for one that was determined not to pose a threat.
Jordan’s army said it had intercepted eight missiles but did not state their origin.
Iran also said it targeted US personnel at an air base in the UAE and shot down an American drone over the Strait of Hormuz.
Abu Dhabi said it intercepted a drone over the country’s waters but dismissed claims that Al Minhad Air Base had been targeted as baseless.
The Revolutionary Guards later reported that a second US drone had been shot down over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s armed forces central command also warned neighbouring countries against allowing the United States to use their territory to launch attacks.
Meanwhile, a tanker leaving the strait reportedly came under attack from three “unknown projectiles” near the northeastern edge of Oman. The incident reportedly caused no casualties or environmental damage.
‘Continue Exerting Pressure’
The exchange of fire came after weeks of relative calm, with the Trump administration recently shifting its focus towards economic pressure on Iran.
Earlier, Trump described Iran as a “Failed Nation”, claiming that its military had been severely weakened, its finances were deteriorating and its leadership was in disarray.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed to continue applying economic pressure.
“We are going to continue exerting pressure, and we’ve had very good discussions here already,” Bessent told reporters at a G20 meeting in North Carolina.
He said a turning point in the pressure campaign could come within weeks or months.
Iran is also exerting economic pressure through its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted global markets and pushed up energy prices.
Before the war, about one-fifth of the world’s oil passed through the strategic waterway.
Hormuz Flashpoint
Despite traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remaining severely restricted six months into the conflict, Trump has claimed that the US Navy has “total control” of the waterway.
Washington recently announced that it had completed clearing explosives from the strait.
Iran, however, insists that it remains in control of the sea lane.
The Revolutionary Guards said an oil tanker caught fire near the strait after hitting two mines while attempting to use what it described as an “illegal route.”
The US military dismissed the claim as disinformation, saying that no ships had hit mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Mediators have spent months trying to broker an end to the war, but an earlier truce and memorandum of understanding eventually collapsed.
Iran has recently been pushing for the United States to return to the previous agreement.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the solution was clear and straightforward: the United States must return to its commitments.
He added that if this happened, the situation could be put back on the right track.
