U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Iran, saying American forces will continue military strikes if Tehran keeps violating past agreements. He also suggested that the United States could take on a long-term role in securing the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking in a phone interview with Fox News and later sharing the comments on X, Trump claimed U.S. forces inflicted heavy damage on Iranian military assets during overnight operations.
“Most of their equipment is gone. Their anti-aircraft guns — we hit them very hard last night,” Trump said. “Every time they send a drone, we hit them very hard.”
His remarks came as tensions between Washington and Tehran intensified following the collapse of indirect negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later claimed responsibility for attacks on facilities hosting U.S. forces in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, though Washington has not confirmed the extent of any damage.
Trump accused Iran of repeatedly breaking agreements and vowed that the United States would respond forcefully if necessary.
“We had a deal, and then they broke it. They always break it,” he said. “So we’re just going to hit them very hard.”
In one of the interview’s most striking moments, Trump suggested that the U.S. could become the protector of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil and gas shipping route.
“We’re going to keep the Strait and we’ll probably run it,” Trump said. “Maybe we will become the guardian angel of the Strait.”
He added that wealthy allied nations should reimburse the United States for any such security role.
The comments are expected to attract global attention, as the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Analysts estimate that about one-fifth of the world’s traded crude oil passes through the narrow waterway each day, making any disruption a major concern for global energy markets.
Neither Iran nor the White House had announced any official policy regarding possible long-term U.S. control or administration of the Strait of Hormuz at the time of this report.