Trump Vows to ‘Hit Iran Hard’ as US-Iran Hostilities Explode Again
US president threatens retaliation after Iranian missiles target American forces in Jordan as Iran vows to respond to further attacks
By Abdullahi Yusuf
US President Donald Trump has vowed a forceful response after Iran launched missiles at American military positions in Jordan, marking a sharp escalation in hostilities between Washington and Tehran after more than a month without direct exchanges of fire.
“We’re going to hit them hard. There will be a response,” Trump told Fox News on Monday.
The US military said the strike targeted two Iranian launchers on Larak Island after Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces were observed preparing to deploy rockets and sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had launched ballistic missiles against US military positions in Jordan in retaliation for the American operation.
Jordanian authorities said eight Iranian missiles were intercepted, while Trump said US air defence systems had stopped most of the incoming missiles. He added that one missile was allowed to continue because it was assessed as unlikely to hit anything significant.
The exchanges represent the first direct US-Iran military confrontation in more than a month and raise the prospect of a renewed cycle of attacks across a region already strained by the wider conflict.
Iran retaliates after Larak strike
The immediate trigger for the latest escalation was the US operation on Larak Island.
The US military said its forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers after detecting preparations by Iranian forces to deploy weapons and sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz. The operation was the first known US strike on Iranian territory since late July.
Iran condemned the attack and responded with missile strikes against American forces in Jordan.
The confrontation is centred on the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes and a critical channel for global energy supplies.
The renewed fighting has already affected financial markets, with oil prices rising as investors reacted to the possibility of further disruption to shipping through the strait. Brent crude rose above $90 a barrel on Monday amid the escalation.
UAE intercepts Iranian drone
Iran also said it had targeted an American military facility in the United Arab Emirates with drones.
The UAE, however, denied that Al Minhad Air Base had been targeted. Its authorities said an Iranian drone was intercepted over UAE territorial waters.
The conflicting accounts underline the uncertainty surrounding the scale of the Iranian retaliation and the extent to which US military facilities across the region could become involved in the renewed confrontation.
American forces maintain a network of bases and military facilities across the Middle East, making countries hosting US troops potentially vulnerable to further Iranian attacks.
Trump signals military and economic pressure
Trump’s warning came alongside renewed emphasis on the economic pressure being applied against Tehran.
The president said US sanctions on Iran were “kicking in strongly” and acknowledged that Tehran had expressed an interest in talks, while questioning whether diplomatic efforts could produce an immediate breakthrough.
The remarks reflect the difficult balance confronting Washington: maintaining pressure on Iran through sanctions while threatening further military action after Tehran’s retaliation.
The latest exchange also comes after months of direct confrontation between the two countries, with the Strait of Hormuz becoming one of the central flashpoints.
Earlier US operations in and around the waterway had focused on preventing Iran from restricting maritime traffic or deploying mines that could endanger commercial shipping.
A dangerous return to escalation
Iran’s latest attacks and Trump’s threat of retaliation have ended a period of relative calm between the two sides and revived fears that a wider military confrontation could develop.
Iranian officials have maintained that Tehran does not seek war but will respond to attacks against it, while Washington has continued to insist that threats to American forces and regional security will be met with force.
For countries across the Gulf and the wider Middle East, the immediate concern is whether the latest exchange remains limited or becomes another cycle of strikes and counter-strikes.
The answer could have consequences well beyond the battlefield.
With the Strait of Hormuz already under pressure and oil prices responding to renewed military tensions, another escalation between Washington and Tehran could quickly become a wider security and economic crisis.
For now, Trump’s promise that the United States will “hit them hard” leaves the region waiting to see what Washington’s next move will be.
Additional information from Reuters, Associated Press and Al Jazeera.
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