US President Donald Trump Says US Will Hit Iran 'Hard' Again | BBC News

Why It Matters

The renewed U.S. threat amplifies regional instability and could choke global oil flows, pressuring markets and forcing diplomatic actors to seek a rapid resolution.

Key Takeaways

• Trump vows additional US strikes on Iran amid stalled negotiations.
• US hit over 20 Iranian targets after helicopter downed in Hormuz.
• Iran retaliated, striking 21 US bases across the Middle East.
• Negotiations hinge on sanctions relief and reopening Strait of Hormuz.
• Lebanese civilian toll rises as Israel continues strikes on Hezbollah.

Summary

President Donald Trump announced that the United States will launch further strikes on Iran, reiterating a hard‑line stance after a failed negotiation push. The statement came hours after the U.S. carried out more than 20 attacks on Iranian air‑defense sites, radar stations and a tanker, retaliation for Iran’s downing of a U.S. helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.

The latest exchange saw Iran fire missiles at 21 U.S. military installations throughout the Middle East, while Washington claims to have neutralised key Iranian targets. Negotiators remain deadlocked over two core demands: the release of billions in frozen Iranian oil revenues and the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, both of which Trump insists must be resolved before any nuclear‑related concessions.

Trump’s rhetoric—"we hit him hard yesterday and we’ll hit him hard again"—was echoed by State Department officials who warned that the blockade is costing Tehran roughly $500 million daily. Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon have killed dozens of civilians, prompting the UN to dispatch a team to investigate alleged war crimes on both sides.

The escalating tit‑for‑tat threatens global oil supplies, inflates energy prices and heightens geopolitical risk for Gulf allies already feeling economic strain. Continued U.S. pressure could force Tehran back to the negotiating table, but further military action risks widening the conflict and destabilising the region.

Original Description

US President Donald Trump has said the US will hit Iran "hard" on Wednesday, after the two sides exchanged strikes overnight.

"We hit them hard yesterday and we're going to hit them hard again today," he said, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office. He also reiterated a call for Iran to "sign a deal".

Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian said in a post on X following Trump's briefing that Iran "will stand firm against any pressure or threat".

The US launched strikes on Iran on Tuesday after Trump said Iran had shot down a US Army helicopter.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it responded with strikes on US bases in the region.

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