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New U.S. strikes inside Iran
The U.S. military launched an additional round of strikes on targets within Iran early Thursday morning local time, with U.S. Central Command saying it hit "multiple targets in Iran" in response to "Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression."
“Trump says US will hit Iran 'hard' again today President Donald Trump has said the US will hit Iran "hard" on Wednesday, after the two sides exchanged strikes overnight”
CBS News reported the strikes came hours after President Trump vowed to hit Iran "hard" to force the country to agree to a deal on the administration's terms.
CBS News also said Iranian media outlets reported explosions were heard or air defenses were activated in multiple cities.
The Guardian reported that U.S. defence secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States would be prepared to strike Iran again tonight and that the U.S. "will be hitting Iran hard" and that strikes tonight will be "strong" and "clear."
Trump, Hegseth, and Iranian pushback
In the Oval Office, Trump told reporters, "We hit them hard yesterday, and we’re going to hit them hard again today," while also saying all Tehran had to do was "start signing a paper" to reach a deal.
The BBC reported that Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian said on X that Iran "will stand firm against any pressure or threat" after Trump said the U.S. would hit Iran "hard" again today.
The BBC also quoted Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqai accusing the U.S. of "damaging this diplomatic process through the contradictory messages it sends" and "repeated violations of the ceasefire."
CNN said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Central Command would be busy because Trump "said we will be hitting Iran hard, and we will be."
Ceasefire stress and negotiation stakes
CBS News said the latest strikes could put new stress on an already brittle two-month-old ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, which has prevented most large-scale attacks but has not stopped the two countries from exchanging fire.
“• US strikes: The US military has launched strikes “against multiple targets in Iran,” US Central Command said in a statement”
CNN reported that a Qatari delegation was meeting Iranian negotiators in Tehran to bridge remaining gaps, while also saying Iranian official media reported explosions near Minab and Sirik and air defense systems activated in Asaluyeh.
The BBC said the U.S. is blockading Iranian ports after the Strait of Hormuz shipping route was effectively closed by Iran in response to the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Tehran in February.
In a UN Security Council meeting, CNN said Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, argued, "No lasting agreement can be reached through force," and called on Trump to stop threatening Iran.
