President Donald Trump warned Iran on Wednesday that the U.S. was preparing for another night of strikes, just hours after he said the ceasefire was over following Iranian attacks on American military sites in the Gulf.
Trump threatened to strike Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including electric plants and desalinization plants, and to seize Kharg Island, with its oil infrastructure.
“We hit them very hard last night,” Trump said when asked about a possible return to hostilities. “We’ll probably hit them hard again tonight.”
Trump made the remarks in Ankara, Turkey, on the sidelines of a NATO summit. He said the strikes are continued retaliation for Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Read also: Oil nears $80 after Trump declares Iran ceasefire over
“They are behaving very badly,” he said of Iran, accusing the country of launching drones and a missile at ships.
The latest exchange of fire raised fears that the war in Iran could reignite, and Trump fueled those concerns by saying the interim agreement to pause fighting was “over,” although he added that he would allow negotiations to continue.
Attacks have repeatedly threatened the shaky ceasefire, but Trump’s comments added new uncertainty, and oil prices shot up after he spoke. A renewed conflict could engulf the wider Middle East and would likely again halt energy shipments through the strait that are crucial to the global economy.
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