Trump hardens tone against Iran, says ‘may keep going’ with strikes

After insisting for weeks that a peace deal between the United States and Iran is close, President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric against Tehran, suggesting that time has run out to reach a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

On Tuesday, the US military began striking targets inside Iran in response to the overnight downing of a helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has since suggested that the US attacks may continue.

“I may keep going,” the US president told Fox News on Wednesday. “They had a chance to sign a deal and survive.”

Later, at an Oval Office event, Trump told reporters, “We’re going to ⁠be attacking them, ⁠attacking them very hard.”

Iran has responded to the latest US strikes by launching missiles against bases that host US forces in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan.

While such back-and-forth attacks over the past few weeks have remained contained and wrapped up quickly, Trump’s comments suggest that the latest episode of fighting may not be over. That, in turn, has raised questions about whether the April 8 ceasefire has unravelled.

Trump told Fox News that Iran is “tapping the US along” with talks that have not led to a long-term agreement.

He renewed his threat to bomb the country’s power plants and bridges, despite concerns that attacking civilian infrastructure could constitute a war crime.