President Donald Trump said the United States would hit Iran “hard” on Wednesday as he deemed their ceasefire over after fighting flared, but he left the door open to more talks.
Efforts to end the Middle East war have taken a hit following the fighting sparked by Iranian attacks on ships in the vital Strait of Hormuz.
The strategic shipping route remains a flashpoint in the conflict, which began in late February with massive US-Israeli strikes on Iran.Tehran insists on controlling the waterway, saying it will charge fees for passage and threatening to hit vessels that deviate from its authorised route.
Its military struck at least three ships in recent days, prompting extensive US strikes against Iranian targets Tuesday followed by retaliatory attacks from Iran on Gulf countries.
“We’re gonna hit ’em hard tonight,” Trump said at a NATO summit in Ankara in reference to Iran, adding: “They violate the agreement every day.”
