On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, President Donald Trump threatened to escalate U.S. military strikes against Iran, stating the attacks would continue "very hard" until Iran comes to the negotiating table. In an exclusive interview with Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, Trump said, "We're going to hit them very hard tonight."

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has conducted consecutive strikes near the Strait of Hormuz over the past several days, targeting Iranian facilities including a submarine and ship maintenance site in Bandar Abbas, Iran. Trump indicated these operations will persist until he decides it is "enough."

The president warned that next week, the U.S. will target Iranian power plants and bridges unless Tehran agrees to negotiate, saying, "Next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges. We're gonna knock out all their power plants. We're going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate."

Trump also walked back previous plans to impose a 20% toll on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, instead forecasting "massive" investment and trade deals between Middle Eastern nations and the United States.

Expressing frustration over Iran's history of breaking promises, Trump said U.S. representatives recently engaged with Iranian negotiators but warned Tehran will face severe consequences if it fails to reach an agreement. He asserted that U.S. military objectives in Iran, including keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, have been achieved despite maritime traffic through the waterway being down roughly 90% from normal levels on Monday.

Sources