President Donald Trump ordered a second wave of U.S. airstrikes against Iran on Wednesday and threatened more, saying the Islamic Republic was stalling peace talks while American forces continued to suffer casualties in the region.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he would “hit them hard again today” after Iran shot down a U.S. Army Apache helicopter earlier in the week. He made clear the strikes were not only retaliation but leverage.
“They should sign that deal,” Trump said. “They keep tapping us along. They keep playing us for suckers.”
He had posted a similar warning on Truth Social earlier Wednesday, calling Iran “all talk and no action” on a peace agreement.
U.S. Central Command launched the first round of strikes Tuesday, targeting Iranian air defenses and radar stations across southern Iran. CENTCOM described the operations as “self-defense strikes.” Iranian state media reported large explosions near the coastal cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirak, and on the island of Qeshm.
Iranian state media also reported the strikes damaged water facilities in the south of the country, cutting off drinking water for thousands of residents. Trump has previously threatened to hit critical infrastructure including bridges and power plants. CENTCOM has not confirmed whether desalination plants were intentionally targeted.
Videos circulated by Iranian media on Wednesday evening showed large black smoke clouds rising from buildings in Tehran.
Iran did not absorb the strikes without response. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched missiles and drones overnight against U.S. military installations in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The militaries of all three nations reported successfully intercepting the incoming projectiles in the early morning hours Wednesday. The IRGC issued a statement saying it intended to target American military installations across the Middle East.
The Arab League condemned the Iranian attacks. Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Iran was actively undermining regional stability. “Such an approach is wholly unacceptable and reflects an Iranian effort aimed at undermining Arab regional security while simultaneously exerting pressure on the international community,” he wrote in a statement.
The escalating exchange has complicated peace efforts that have dragged on for nearly two months. Trump said earlier this week that a deal could be reached in days. Little evidence of progress has emerged. A delegation from Qatar arrived in Iran on Wednesday to facilitate further talks between Tehran and Washington. Pakistani and Qatari mediators have shuttled between the two sides for weeks, carrying proposals for a memorandum of understanding that could set the stage for broader negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. A final deal could also end Iran’s ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted global oil markets since the conflict began.
The helicopter downing Monday triggered the latest round of direct strikes. It marks the third time U.S. forces have struck targets on Iranian soil since the current conflict began.
