US President Donald Trump has renewed his threat to intensify military action against Iran, warning that Tehran could face even heavier bombing if it fails to reach an agreement with Washington.
Speaking to Fox News and later addressing reporters at the White House, Trump said the option of further attacks remains open and hinted that additional strikes could take place as early as Thursday night.
In his latest warning to Tehran, Trump said Iran had already been given opportunities to reach an agreement with the United States.
“If Tehran does not make a deal, they will be made worse by bombing,” the US president said.
Trump accused Iranian leaders of delaying negotiations and said Washington was prepared to escalate military operations if diplomatic efforts continued to stall.
“They should sign their deal,” he said, urging a swift conclusion to ongoing talks between the two countries.
Details of military operation
According to Trump, the latest US operation involved the launch of 49 Tomahawk missiles against Iranian targets. He said American fighter aircraft also participated in the strikes, targeting radar installations and air defence systems.
Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst reported that Trump described the attacks as “vicious” and “violent.”
According to the report, the strikes hit positions about 40 miles outside Tehran as well as locations along Iran’s southwestern coast on the Persian Gulf.
Iran reportedly contacted Trump directly
Trump also revealed that senior Iranian officials had contacted him directly and requested that the United States halt its bombing campaign.
According to Yingst, the conversation represented a rare and significant moment of direct engagement between the US president and Iran’s leadership during the ongoing crisis.
Trump told Fox News that the bombing campaign would stop shortly but warned that military action could resume quickly if Iran failed to sign an agreement.
The US president stressed that Israel was not involved in the latest military operation against Iran. His remarks came amid growing regional tensions and speculation about the possible involvement of US allies in the strikes.
Trump reiterated that the attacks were carried out solely by American forces.
Escalation follows helicopter incident
The latest military escalation comes after the US launched strikes inside Iran following the downing of a helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week.
The United States began attacking Iranian targets on Tuesday in response to the incident, which further strained already fragile relations between the two countries.
After weeks of insisting that a peace agreement was close, Trump has increasingly adopted a tougher tone toward Tehran.
“I may keep going,” he told Fox News. “They had a chance to sign a deal and survive.”
Iran responds with missile attacks
Iran responded to the latest US strikes by launching missiles at bases hosting American forces in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.
Although similar exchanges between the two sides in recent weeks have generally remained limited and short-lived, Trump’s latest comments have raised concerns that the current confrontation could continue.
The developments have also prompted fresh questions about the future of the April 8 ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran.
Trump warns of broader targets
Trump further claimed that Iran was “tapping the US along” through negotiations that had failed to produce a lasting agreement.
He renewed threats to target Iranian power plants and bridges, despite concerns that attacks on civilian infrastructure could violate international law.
When asked during an Oval Office event whether he intended to follow through on those threats, Trump declined to confirm specific plans but said, “I could do that.”
