Trump Threatens to Hit Iran ‘Hard’ After Tehran Targets US Forces in Jordan/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ President Donald Trump vowed the United States would hit Iran “hard” after Tehran fired ballistic missiles toward U.S. forces in Jordan in retaliation for American strikes on Iranian positions on Larak Island. The exchange marked the first significant direct U.S.-Iran military confrontation in about a month and returned the Strait of Hormuz to the center of the six-month conflict. Trump intensified his rhetoric against Tehran while signaling possible further military action, as renewed fighting pushed oil prices higher and raised fresh concerns about inflation and global energy supplies.
Quick Look
- Trump said Monday that the U.S. would hit Iran “hard” following Tehran’s missile attack toward American forces in Jordan.
- Iran fired at least eight ballistic missiles toward U.S. forces in Jordan.
- Jordan’s military said its air defenses intercepted eight missiles that violated Jordanian airspace.
- Trump said U.S. forces intercepted all but one missile, which he said was not headed toward a target.
- Iran’s attack followed U.S. strikes Sunday against Iranian positions on Larak Island.
- The U.S. said Iranian forces had been preparing rockets loaded with sea mines for deployment into the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iranian state media reported that the U.S. attack killed and wounded several Iranian soldiers and civilians.
- Trump declared Iran a “Failed Nation” and said, “IT IS DEAD!”
- Trump also posted AI-generated imagery suggesting Iran’s Kharg Island oil-export hub could become a target.
- Vice President JD Vance said Trump’s social-media messages were warnings about “consequences,” not announcements of military action.
- Vance said the U.S. has “a lot of tools at our disposal” to counter Iranian attacks on commercial shipping.
- Renewed fighting pushed oil prices higher and revived concerns about inflation and interest rates.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iran is facing growing economic pressure from sanctions and declining oil exports.
- Trump is scheduled to meet refiners and oil distributors Tuesday to discuss increasing refining capacity and lowering gasoline prices.
Trump Vows to Hit Iran ‘Hard’ After Missile Attack
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump threatened additional U.S. military action against Iran Monday after Tehran fired ballistic missiles toward bases in Jordan hosting American forces, marking a renewed escalation after roughly a month without significant direct fighting between the two countries.
Trump said in a Fox News interview Monday morning that the United States would hit Iran “hard” in response to the overnight attack.
The Iranian missile launches came after U.S. forces struck Iranian positions on Larak Island on Sunday, breaking a monthlong lull in American military action against Iran.
The exchange returned the Strait of Hormuz and the battle over commercial shipping through the critical waterway to the center of the six-month U.S.-Iran war.
Iran Fires Ballistic Missiles Toward US Forces in Jordan
Iran fired at least eight ballistic missiles toward U.S. forces stationed in Jordan following the American attack on Larak Island.
Jordan’s armed forces said its air defenses intercepted eight missiles that entered the country’s airspace.
Trump said U.S. forces intercepted all but one of the Iranian missiles, adding that the remaining missile was not headed toward anything that required interception.
The attacks represented Iran’s response to the U.S. operation a day earlier.
US Strikes Iranian Positions on Larak Island
The United States said its Sunday attack targeted Iranian military personnel and rocket launchers on Larak Island after American forces observed preparations to deploy rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media reported that several Iranian soldiers and civilians were killed or wounded in the attack.
Tehran subsequently promised to respond.
The confrontation followed weeks in which the Trump administration had increasingly emphasized economic pressure on Iran while direct military action had subsided.
Trump Declares Iran a ‘Failed Nation’
Trump sharply escalated his rhetoric Monday as the military confrontation resumed.
“Iran is officially a Failed Nation. IT IS DEAD!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The president claimed Iran had lost its navy and air force, faced the collapse of its currency and was struggling to pay soldiers and police.
He also accused Iranian authorities of killing protesters and said the country’s leaders “must be tried for war crimes against humanity!”
The claims in Trump’s post were part of a broader argument that months of military and economic pressure have severely weakened Tehran.
Trump Signals Possible Kharg Island Attack
Trump also fueled speculation about additional U.S. military targets by posting AI-generated imagery suggesting that Kharg Island could face attack.
Kharg Island is a critical hub for Iranian oil exports, making any potential military action there particularly consequential for both Iran’s economy and global energy markets.
Trump did not formally announce an operation against the island.
Vance later emphasized that the president’s social-media posts should be viewed as warnings rather than announcements of specific military plans.
Vance Says Iran Faces ‘Consequences’
Speaking to reporters Monday at Joint Base Andrews, Vice President JD Vance said Trump was sending Tehran a broader warning about its actions against commercial shipping.
“The president likes to switch it up on social media a little bit,” Vance said, adding that Trump “would be the first to say he doesn’t make announcements about military actions on social media.”
Vance said Washington has “a lot of tools at our disposal” to prevent or reduce Iranian attacks on commercial vessels.
He described the administration’s message to Tehran in stark terms.
“You guys are shooting at commercial shipping. You guys are behaving like a terrorist country. You’ve got to stop, but there are going to be some consequences,” Vance said.
Strait of Hormuz Returns to Center of Iran War
The renewed confrontation has again focused attention on the Strait of Hormuzone of the world’s most important energy shipping corridors.
The United States said last week that it had cleared mines from the strait’s primary shipping lane.
Trump subsequently warned that “any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systemically destroyed.”
The administration says Sunday’s strikes followed observations that Iranian forces were preparing to deploy additional sea mines.
U.S. Central Command has also disputed an Iranian assertion that a supertanker struck two mines.
The competing claims highlight the importance of control over the waterway as the broader war continues.
Iran Economy Faces Increasing Pressure
The military escalation comes as Washington is simultaneously trying to intensify economic pressure on Tehran.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said Iran is being squeezed by sanctions and declining oil exports.
Iran’s rial has fallen to roughly 2.1 million against the U.S. dollar amid the mounting economic pressure.
Iran, however, has continued threatening retaliation for American attacks and has warned that its responses could become substantially greater.
The combination of military operations and economic sanctions reflects the Trump administration’s two-track strategy for increasing pressure on Tehran.
Oil Prices Rise as Fighting Resumes
Renewed U.S.-Iran attacks also rattled financial and energy markets.
Oil prices climbed as traders assessed the possibility of further military escalation and additional disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Higher oil prices threaten to intensify inflationary pressure in the United States and could complicate the outlook for interest rates.
The conflict has already contributed to elevated gasoline prices, making energy costs an increasingly important domestic political and economic issue for the Trump administration.
Trump to Meet Oil Industry Leaders
Trump is scheduled to meet with fuel refiners and oil distributors Tuesday to discuss expanding U.S. refining capacity and lowering gasoline prices.
The White House said Trump wants to ensure that his energy policies translate into lower costs for consumers at the pump.
“President Trump is laser-focused on ensuring his successful energy dominance agenda translates into the most cost savings possible at the pump for consumers,” the White House said.
The administration said the meeting will focus on increasing refining capacity and expanding domestic energy production throughout the supply chain.
The discussions will come as the renewed confrontation with Iran creates another potential source of upward pressure on global oil and U.S. gasoline prices.
US-Iran Conflict Enters New Period of Escalation
The weekend exchange ended a monthlong lull in direct U.S.-Iran military action and raised questions about whether the conflict is entering another period of sustained escalation.
Washington is simultaneously increasing financial pressure on Tehran, targeting its ability to conduct international transactions and sell oil while threatening military consequences for Iranian actions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran, meanwhile, has demonstrated that it remains willing to retaliate against U.S. forces in the region.
Trump’s promise to hit Iran “hard” suggests the latest exchange may not end with the Iranian missile attack on U.S. forces in Jordan.
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