Trump threatens massive strikes on Iran, US military launches new wave
President Donald Trump emphasizes that negotiation with Iran is barely attainable by way of navy power, warning of extreme future strikes. Following his feedback, the U.S. launched huge new strikes on Iranian coastal protection methods and cruise missile storage websites to degrade capabilities and stop assaults within the Strait of Hormuz.
NEWNow you can hearken to Fox Information articles!
Thirty days after the U.S. and Iran entered a two-month negotiating interval meant to provide a closing peace settlement between the 2 nations, they seem nearer to a widening conflict than to a diplomatic breakthrough.
Friday marks the midway level of the 60-day window established underneath the June 17 memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran, which known as for negotiations for Iran’s nuclear and missile packages, sanctions and freedom of navigation by way of the Strait of Hormuz.
Friday marks the midway level of the 60-day window established underneath the June 17 memorandum of understanding deal between the U.S. and Iran, which known as for negotiations over Iran’s nuclear and missile packages, sanctions and freedom of navigation by way of the Strait of Hormuz.
However the first half of that interval has been marked by repeated Iranian assaults on industrial vessels, tons of of U.S. strikes on Iranian navy targets and retaliatory missile and drone assaults across the region, and President Donald Trump declaring the ceasefire “over.”
VANCE REVEALS TRUMP LESSON GUIDING IRAN DEAL STRATEGY AS TEHRAN FACES 60-DAY DEADLINE
The Trump administration additionally has withdrawn one of the vital important concessions it provided Iran underneath the settlement — a brief waiver permitting Iran to promote oil — and restored a naval blockade that had been lifted after the memorandum was signed.
With solely 30 days remaining, the administration is more and more counting on navy and financial strain in an effort to deliver Iran again to substantive negotiations earlier than the window closes. Failure would go away the 2 sides with out a clear diplomatic path to handle Iran’s nuclear and missile packages or restore secure passage by way of one of many world’s most necessary transport lanes.
Trump however stated Thursday that Iran had made a contemporary overture to the U.S.
“We acquired a name simply as I used to be coming right here, and so they wish to meet,” Trump stated throughout a Fox Information interview Thursday.
“They don’t like what we’re doing, and so they do wish to settle,” he added in remarks later that day. “We’ll discover out whether or not or not we settle with them, or we simply end it off.”
The Iranian mission to the United Nations couldn’t instantly be reached for touch upon the standing of negotiations.
The White Home referred to press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s feedback in a information briefing Thursday: “Iran very a lot continues to speak to america of America and expressed that they wish to make a cope with us as a result of they’re struggling devastating blows. On behalf of our United States navy. The rationale and that is necessary for the American individuals to know the explanation for the latest strikes over the course of the final a number of days is as a result of Iran violated the memorandum of understanding that we struck with them.”
The settlement initially supplied Iran with a right away economic incentive to stay within the course of. On June 22, the Treasury Division issued a basic license authorizing the manufacturing, supply and sale of Iranian crude oil, petrochemicals and petroleum merchandise by way of Aug. 21.
However the administration revoked that authorization lower than three weeks later after Iran attacked three industrial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
A U.S. official stated on the time that the settlement was “totally performance-based” and warned that Iran would obtain advantages provided that it demonstrated “good habits.”
“Iran’s actions within the strait have been wholly unacceptable to america and might be met with penalties,” the official stated. “Our negotiators proceed to work in good religion towards a closing deal.”
Mourners collect round a car transporting the coffin of Iran’s late Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 in Israeli and U.S. airstrikes, and coffins of his relations, on the day of his burial, in a fruits of a mass funeral, in Mashhad, Iran, July 9, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/West Asia Information Company, by way of REUTERS)
TRUMP THREATENS TO EXPAND STRIKES ON IRAN, SAYS POWER PLANTS ARE NEXT TO GO: ‘HIT THEM HARD’
Iran accused Washington of violating the memorandum, arguing that Tehran was complying with its obligations by managing passage by way of the strait. Iranian officers blamed transport corporations for utilizing routes that had not been coordinated with Tehran.
Gregg Roman, govt director of the Middle East Forum, argued that Washington and Tehran entered the negotiating interval with basically totally different targets.
“The U.S. noticed it as a chance to get a long-term settlement,” Roman informed Fox Information Digital. “The Iranians noticed it as a chance to rearm.”
Roman stated the renewed combating suggests the administration now views navy strain as a prerequisite for diplomacy.
“It’s important to hit them onerous earlier than you get an settlement,” he stated.
Former Trump Defense Secretary Mark Esper, nonetheless, questioned whether or not an expanded bombing marketing campaign would drive Iran to vary course.
“I’m not assured that if we picked up the bombing the way in which we did months in the past and sustained it for a time frame, that that may have a giant change,” Esper informed the Monetary Occasions.
Esper as a substitute argued for “complete” financial strain backed by worldwide assist, although he acknowledged that strategy would require time and impose prices on American customers.
“How do you strain them?” Esper stated. “One choice is you resort to full navy onslaught. The opposite one is you strangle them economically.”
Esper stated the technique would require “time, persistence (and) self-discipline” and will imply increased gasoline costs within the brief time period.
The sanctions reversal coincided with a dramatic growth of U.S. navy operations in opposition to Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the Pennsylvania Protection and Innovation Summit at america Military Warfare School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 15, 2026. (REUTERS/Kylie Cooper)
The combating resumed inside days of the settlement and accelerated sharply in early July after Iran attacked industrial vessels within the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM stated U.S. forces subsequently struck greater than 300 Iranian targets over three nights, together with air defenses, missile and drone websites, coastal radars and naval capabilities.
The marketing campaign has since expanded deeper into Iran.
The sixth consecutive night time of U.S. strikes marked a brand new part within the marketing campaign, with roads, bridges and navy bases round Bandar Abbas among the many targets, Fox Information has realized. The strikes have been aimed toward reducing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces off from resupply routes and additional isolating them across the strategic port metropolis, which is central to Iran’s capability to exert management over the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. additionally reinstated its blockade of Iranian ports and disabled the Curaçao-flagged tanker Belma after CENTCOM stated it ignored warnings whereas crusing towards Iran’s major oil-export terminal.
Iran has responded with missile and drone assaults in opposition to nations internet hosting U.S. forces throughout the Gulf. On Friday, an Iranian strike broken a significant energy and desalination plant in Kuwait, whereas Qatar, Bahrain and different regional states reported further incoming assaults.
“All of the infrastructure within the area might be crushed underneath the metal blows of the highly effective armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran” if america carries out these assaults, Iranian navy spokesman Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari stated in remarks carried by Fars information company.
“Not at all and by no means will we enable America, as a international and extraregional nation, to intrude within the Strait of Hormuz,” he added, calling the waterway Iran’s “invincible pink line.”
Regardless of the escalating threats, Trump has continued to argue {that a} diplomatic decision stays attainable.
“They don’t like what we’re doing, and so they do wish to settle,” Trump stated Wednesday. “We’ll discover out whether or not or not we settle with them, or we simply end it off.”
One potential signal that communication stays open got here Wednesday, when Iran allowed U.S.-Iranian citizen Dena Karari to go away the nation after stopping her departure since December 2024. Trump thanked Iran for what he described as a “gesture of goodwill.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Salvaging the settlement would now require the 2 sides to maneuver past preliminary contacts, halt the widening cycle of retaliation and return to negotiations over the nuclear, missile and sanctions points on the coronary heart of the memorandum.
The following 30 days will decide whether or not the renewed navy strain creates leverage for that diplomacy — or ensures the negotiating window closes with america and Iran once more at conflict.
Fox Information’ Jen Griffin contributed to this report.
