Trump Vows to ‘Hit Iran Hard’ After Tehran Strikes US Bases in Jordan
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — WEB DESK: US President Donald Trump has threatened a forceful response against Iran after Tehran launched missiles toward two US military bases in Jordan, marking the first direct exchange of attacks between the two countries in about a month and raising renewed fears of a broader Middle East escalation.
Trump said the United States would “hit them hard” following Iran’s retaliatory action, but he did not publicly specify the timing, scale or targets of any further US military operation.
The latest confrontation began after US forces struck Iranian positions on Larak Island, near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said the operation targeted two Iranian rocket launchers and described the action as limited and precise.
Washington said members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were preparing to launch rockets and deploy naval mines that posed an imminent threat to shipping.
That assertion represents the US justification for the strike and has not been independently established. Iran condemned the American operation as aggression.
Iranian officials said two people were killed and several others wounded in the Larak attack, according to the original Express report.
Iran Retaliates Against US Bases in Jordan
Iran responded by firing ballistic missiles toward two military installations in Jordan where American forces are stationed.
The Revolutionary Guards claimed the attacks caused heavy damage to US facilities. However, the United States has not confirmed Iran’s claim of substantial damage, making it important not to present Tehran’s assessment as established fact.
Jordanian authorities said eight missiles entering the country’s airspace were intercepted. Reuters also reported that Iran launched missiles at two US bases in Jordan in response to the Larak strike.
The exchange represented a significant break from several weeks of relative military calm between Washington and Tehran.
Neither government, however, has publicly indicated that it wants to return to full-scale warfare. Reuters reported that officials on both sides have signalled an interest in avoiding another major conflict even as they exchange increasingly severe warnings.
Trump Threatens Further Action
Trump responded to the Iranian attacks with a direct warning that Washington would retaliate.
The US president argued that Iran’s military and economy had already been seriously weakened and promised a tough response to attacks against American forces.
His remarks represent a threat of further action, not confirmation that a new strike order has already been issued.
That distinction is particularly important because separate reporting indicates that US Central Command has developed options for additional limited strikes against Iranian radar, air-defence and anti-ship missile capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz.
As of the reporting reviewed, however, there was no public confirmation that Trump had approved that broader plan.
Trump also ruled out the use of nuclear weapons against Iran, according to Reuters, saying Iran was already militarily defeated and that nuclear weapons were unnecessary.
UAE Intercepts Iranian Drone
The confrontation also spilled into the airspace around the United Arab Emirates.
Iran claimed it had targeted Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE, where US personnel are present. The UAE rejected reports that the base itself had been hit.
The UAE Defence Ministry did, however, confirm that its air force intercepted an Iranian drone over Emirati territorial waters.
That distinction matters: there is independent confirmation of an Iranian drone entering the area and being intercepted, but not of Iran’s claim that it successfully struck Al Minhad Air Base.
The UAE described the incident as a dangerous escalation and condemned what it regarded as a violation of its sovereignty and security.
Tehran Calls Jordan Strikes ‘Self-Defence’
Iran’s Foreign Ministry characterised its attacks against US targets in Jordan as an exercise of legitimate self-defence following the American strike on Larak Island.
That is Tehran’s legal and political position, rather than an independent determination that the attacks met the requirements of self-defence under international law.
Washington has similarly characterised its Larak operation as defensive, saying Iranian preparations presented an imminent danger to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest confrontation therefore features competing claims of defensive necessity: Washington says it acted to prevent an Iranian threat to navigation, while Tehran says its subsequent missile attacks were retaliation for US aggression.
Strait of Hormuz Back at Centre of Conflict
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the confrontation because of its importance to global energy markets.
Renewed fighting has sharply reduced shipping activity through the waterway and revived fears of further disruptions to crude oil exports from Gulf producers. Reuters reported Tuesday that only around five commodity vessels a day were passing through, compared with a pre-conflict average of roughly 14.
Oil prices rose again on Tuesday after jumping almost 3% in the previous session.
Brent crude was around $91.15 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate was about $86.46 in the Reuters market update. These were market prices during trading and should not be confused with final settlement values.
On Monday, Brent settled 2.71% higher at $90.49, while WTI gained 2.83% to $85.76 after the renewed US-Iran attacks.
The conflict is therefore affecting markets even before the scale of any next military move becomes clear.
AI Video Posted by Trump Was Not Real Attack Footage
The latest confrontation also produced a significant misinformation episode.
Trump posted AI-generated videos purporting to show Iran’s Kharg Island oil terminal being destroyed, but Reuters reported that there was no evidence such an attack had taken place and that US officials confirmed the imagery was fabricated.
The videos should therefore not be republished or described as footage of an actual US strike.
This is particularly important for newsrooms covering fast-moving military conflicts, where AI-generated imagery can create false impressions of attacks, casualties or infrastructure destruction.
What Happens Next?
Trump’s warning leaves open the possibility of another US military operation, but the extent of Washington’s response remains uncertain.
The established sequence is that US forces struck Iranian launchers on Larak Island; Iran retaliated with missiles toward US bases in Jordan; the UAE intercepted an Iranian drone; and Trump subsequently threatened to hit Iran hard.
What has not yet been established is equally important.
There is no confirmed evidence in the sources reviewed that Iran inflicted the heavy damage on US facilities that it claims, no confirmation that Al Minhad Air Base was successfully struck, and no public confirmation that Trump has issued an order for the next round of US attacks.
For now, the confrontation remains a developing military escalation rather than confirmation of a new full-scale US-Iran war.
