President Trump has amped up the pressure on Iran following several consecutive days of military strikes. In an interview with Fox News, he warned that the U.S. will continue to hit Iran “very hard” until it agrees to resume negotiations.
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“We’re gonna knock out all their power plants,” Trump said. “We’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.” The warning came after he scrapped plans to charge a 20% cargo fee on ships crossing through the Strait of Hormuz under U.S. protection.
Trump Signals Continued Pressure on Iran
Trump added that Iran wants to reach a deal but has repeatedly violated agreements in the past. Tensions ramped up earlier this month after Iran targeted vessels traveling through Hormuz. The incident led the U.S. to accuse Tehran of breaching the ceasefire. It also kicked off an offensive campaign aimed at weakening Tehran’s ability to disrupt the waterway.
Trump believes that Iran’s military is severely weakened, comparing it to a resilient boxer on his last legs. “They have some fight left, but they don’t have much,” he said.