Trump says US will hit Iran very hard tonight, will take Kharg Island in future
US President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened new military strikes against Iran, saying the United States will hit the country "VERY HARD TONIGHT" as tensions
US President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened new military strikes against Iran, saying the United States will hit the country "VERY HARD TONIGHT" as tensions continued to rise across the Middle East. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed Iran's military capabilities had already been severely weakened and signalled that further military action was imminent. He also said the US will move to take control of major Iranian oil and gas facilities, including Kharg Island. Read Full Story "The United States will be hitting Iran (Whose Navy, Air Force, Radar, Anti Aircraft, and all other forms of Defense, together with most of its offensive capability, are GONE!), VERY HARD TONIGHT," Trump wrote.
"At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela, which is working out brilliantly for both Venezuela and the United States of America," he added. Trump's comments came at a perilous moment in the conflict. Diplomacy is struggling to keep pace as fresh attacks by both sides push the region closer to a wider war. TALKS CONTINUE DESPITE THREATS Despite the escalating conflict, Trump said Washington and Tehran were still exchanging messages as they worked towards a preliminary agreement.
According to Iranian and European sources cited by Reuters, negotiators have reached a broad understanding but remain divided over several key issues. One of the biggest sticking points is the release of billions of dollars in Iranian funds frozen in foreign banks. Iran is reportedly seeking between $6 billion and $12 billion in frozen assets. Washington, however, wants any release of funds to take place in stages and be limited to humanitarian purposes. One Iranian source described the conflict as increasingly unsustainable. "This war, from a military standpoint, is a dead end.
The Americans could not achieve their goals by attacking Iran. There has been progress in negotiations," the source told Reuters. For Tehran, securing access to frozen funds and bringing an end to the conflict appears to be a higher priority than reaching a broader settlement, according to people familiar with the talks. Ends With inputs from agencies
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