U.S. President Donald Trump after delivering remarks during his second 'Rose Garden Club' dinner in honour of Police Week at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 11, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
(Washington, DC) – President Trump is warning of a larger new round of strikes on Iran as tensions around the Persian Gulf continue to rise.
Trump said Thursday that the United States could hit Iran harder after the downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter and renewed threats around the Strait of Hormuz. He also raised the possibility of targeting Kharg Island, Iran’s key oil export hub, before later suggesting he had not made a final decision about how far to go.
The comments come as the administration tries to pressure Tehran back toward a deal while also showing it is willing to use force. Trump has said he does not want a major ground deployment, but he has also argued that Iran’s military has been badly weakened.
Any move against Kharg Island would carry major risk because the site is central to Iranian oil exports and global energy markets. For now, the White House is using the threat as leverage, but the language alone is enough to raise concern across Washington, Wall Street and the Middle East.
