Trump vows to strike Iran hard after first direct fire exchange in a month

The United States and Iran have exchanged direct fire for the first time in a month, abruptly pulling a conflict focused on sanctions and economic pressure back toward military confrontation.

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We’re going to hit them hard

Iran launched missiles overnight at two U.S. air bases in Jordan after U.S. forces struck Iranian launchers on Larak Island. Washington said the launchers were preparing to fire rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that three people died in the U.S. attack, including two members of the Revolutionary Guards Navy, according to the state-affiliated Nournews.

President Donald Trump threatened more strikes. “We’re going to hit them hard,” Fox News quoted him as saying. “There will be a response.” In the Oval Office, Trump said the attacks did not mean a return to full-scale war and described Iran as a “failed nation” whose economy and military had been severely weakened. He also said there was “no reason” to rule out nuclear weapons because Iran was already “totally defeated militarily.”

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There will be a response

A senior Iranian source described the overnight exchange as a “limited and contained confrontation” but warned that Tehran would respond harshly to another attack. Trump said U.S. air defenses had intercepted all Iranian missiles capable of causing damage and that new sanctions were hurting Iran’s economy.

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limited and contained confrontation

Trump also posted two AI-generated videos that appeared to show explosions destroying Iran’s main oil export terminal on Kharg Island. No such attack took place, and Iran called the post “laughable.” Vice President JD Vance said Trump was “sending a message.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iran might be responding militarily because it was losing economically, while indicating that new secondary sanctions could be introduced weekly, initially targeting banks.

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sending a message