President Donald Trump vowed on Wednesday to launch additional military strikes against Iran, accusing the Iranian government of delaying negotiations and "playing us for suckers." Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office during an unrelated news conference, Trump said the United States had struck Iranian targets the previous day and would continue to do so. "We hit them hard yesterday, and we're going to hit them again hard today," he declared.
The president reiterated his firm stance that Iran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. "Iran very simply cannot have a nuclear weapon, and they won't," Trump said.
When asked whether he was considering strikes on Iranian infrastructure such as power plants and bridges, Trump declined to discuss specific targets but suggested military action remained on the table. "I could do that," he said.
"We have the strongest military anywhere in the world, and sometimes you'll have to use it."
Trump's remarks came as U.S. forces continued operations in the region.
Shortly after he spoke, the military announced that forces had disabled another oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after it violated the ongoing blockade by attempting to transport Iranian oil. This marked the second consecutive day that U.S.
forces had disabled a non-compliant vessel. U.S.
Central Command stated that since initiating the blockade on April 13, forces had disabled eight non-compliant vessels, redirected 134 ships that complied, and allowed 42 vessels supporting humanitarian aid to pass.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump warned that Iran would "pay the price" for delaying a peace agreement after the United States launched what he described as self-defense strikes on Tehran following the downing of an Army Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. The two pilots involved were unharmed, but Trump said a U.S.
response was necessary.
The latest escalation comes as a fragile ceasefire faces mounting pressure. Before tensions surged, Trump had expressed optimism that Washington and Tehran were nearing an agreement, saying the two sides were in the "final throes" of what would be a "very, very good deal."
At the center of the dispute is Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global oil and natural gas supplies, and U.S. demands that Tehran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
Negotiations have also been complicated by broader regional conflicts. Tehran has maintained that any agreement to end the war must include an end to fighting between its ally Hezbollah and Israel.
Israel, however, has intensified its military campaign against the militant group.