Trump: Strikes on Iran to Continue Until 'I Say Enough'
The United States military announced it had completed a new round of strikes against Iran on Tuesday (14/07), targeting dozens of military sites around the Strait of Hormuz and along Iran’s southern coast. US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that fighter jets, drones, and warships were involved in the seven-hour operation, striking missile and drone sites, naval assets, and coastal defence systems. According to CENTCOM, the strikes aimed to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial vessels and civilian crews in the region. The strikes occurred on the same day the United States reimposed a naval blockade on ships heading to and from Iranian ports. CENTCOM added that US forces remain ready to conduct follow-on operations if ordered.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Tuesday (14/07) that the US naval blockade had effectively ended the Pakistan-mediated agreement between the two countries. In an interview with state television, Gharibabadi stated that President Donald Trump’s move had, in his view, “dissolved the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.” He added that Iran no longer considers itself bound by the commitments in the agreement. Gharibabadi also called the Strait of Hormuz a national security issue and asserted Tehran would defend its sovereignty over the strategic waterway.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until what it termed the “end of American crimes.” The strategic waterway was previously closed again by Tehran on Saturday (11/07). The Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a newly established Iranian body, stated that shipping lanes in the strait are currently impassable due to recent illegal US military activity in the area. The authority stated that transit permits for vessels would only be issued once “stability and calm are restored.” Meanwhile, the Iranian military stated it had again targeted the Azraq airbase in Jordan, which has links to US operations and personnel. There has been no immediate response from Jordan, the Pentagon, or CENTCOM.
Amid the escalation, Trump opened a window for diplomacy alongside a threat. President Donald Trump said Washington held talks with Tehran on Tuesday (14/07) and urged Iran to negotiate an end to the conflict. In an interview with Fox News, Trump warned that US military action would increase if no deal is reached. He said Iran could face strikes on critical infrastructure, including power plants and bridges. “Next week it’s really going to get bad for them because next week it’s the power plants. Next week it’s the bridges,” Trump said. He added, “We’re going to take out all of their power plants. We’re going to take out all of their bridges, unless they want to sit down at the negotiating table.” When asked how long the US strikes would last, Trump replied that they “will continue until I say enough.” The statement was made amid ongoing US military operations against Iran and the reimposition of Washington’s naval blockade on Iranian ports.
The United States began reimposing a naval blockade on Iranian ports on Tuesday (14/07), marking the second such blockade enforced by Washington this year. The first blockade was imposed in April amid rising tensions with Tehran and was lifted in June, a day after both countries signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict. Before reimposing the blockade, President Trump had proposed charging a 20 per cent fee for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz under US military protection. He later scrapped the idea following requests from allied nations in the Gulf region.