Trump vows fresh Iran strikes and seizure of oil terminals

U.S. President Donald Trump vowed fresh strikes against Iran on Thursday and said American forces would soon seize the country's key oil infrastructure, after both sides exchanged attacks overnight. His threats came as Iran warned the shaky ceasefire in their three-month war had become "practically meaningless."

What did Trump threaten Iran with on Thursday?

Trump said U.S. forces would hit Iran "VERY HARD TONIGHT" in a Truth Social post. He also vowed to seize Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure, saying the U.S. would "assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela." In separate Fox News comments, he said he would prefer not to strike civilian infrastructure like power plants, citing the suffering it causes ordinary Iranians.

How did the latest round of U.S.-Iran strikes unfold?

In a second straight day of exchanges, U.S. Central Command said it struck surveillance, communications and air defense facilities inside Iran. Iran's Revolutionary Guards responded with what they called a "punitive operation" targeting a U.S. base in Jordan, while Gulf states reported incoming fire. Iranian media reported explosions across the south, with at least three people wounded in Tehran province.

The war began on February 28 with a wave of U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. An April truce paused the fighting, but efforts to reach a permanent settlement have stalled. Sporadic exchanges have placed the ceasefire under repeated strain, and the latest escalation has drawn warnings from multiple governments.

Are peace negotiations still ongoing despite the escalation?

Mediators Pakistan and Qatar indicated backchannel talks were continuing despite the flare-up. A Qatari delegation was in Tehran for discussions that ran into the early hours, with a diplomatic source saying they were conducted in coordination with the United States. Pakistan's foreign ministry said it had not "lost hope" in a negotiated resolution, though spokesman Tahir Andrabi acknowledged it was "hard to be an optimist" given the renewed hostilities.

Trump had said on Wednesday that Iran keeps "playing us for suckers" and would now "have to pay the price." Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth added that if Trump required it, U.S. forces would "negotiate with bombs." Turkey, Saudi Arabia, China and Russia all called for de-escalation, with Beijing urging both parties to immediately cease military operations.

What is happening at the Strait of Hormuz?

Iran has kept the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global oil and gas, effectively closed since early in the war. On Thursday, the Iranian body overseeing the strait confirmed it "will be closed until further notice." Majid Mousavi, head of the Iranian Guards' aerospace force, warned of further action against Tehran's enemies over their conduct in the waterway.

On Wednesday, three Indian sailors aboard a commercial vessel were killed when the U.S. struck the ship off the coast of Oman. India summoned a U.S. diplomat to lodge a formal protest. The Iranian navy also reported hitting two ships attempting to sail through the strait. On Thursday, CENTCOM said it had disabled another tanker, the Jalveer, for allegedly attempting to evade a U.S. counter-blockade of Iranian ports, with the Omani navy evacuating the crew.