Trump Vows to Hit Iran Hard After U.S. and Iran Trade Strikes in Hormuz Escalation

President Trump said Monday that the U.S. will "hit them very hard" after Iran launched ballistic missiles at two American military bases in Jordan, a retaliation for a U.S. strike over the weekend on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command said the Larak strike destroyed Iranian rocket launchers and sea mines that were being readied to attack ships in the strait. Jordan's military said its air defense systems intercepted all eight missiles that entered its airspace, and officials in Jordan and the UAE confirmed no projectiles reached their targets.

Trump told Fox News that Iran's strikes would be "limited" and added that "Iran is not a big war for us," while also saying the U.S. has "so much ammunition all over the world." He described the Strait of Hormuz as being in "extremely good shape," noting that ships are averaging 30 transits per night out of the strait with U.S. Navy assistance, and that vessels came through the waterway the previous night under naval escort. Trump also said "we may smack Iran, we will see what happens," and declared that Iran will never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. Axios reported earlier Monday that the administration was weighing a "mow the lawn" strategy of limited, recurring strikes to prevent Iran from rebuilding radar and missile capabilities near the strait.

Trump posted AI-generated videos on Truth Social suggesting Iran's Kharg Island, which handles the vast majority of Iran's oil exports, was being destroyed, a move Vice President Vance described as sending a deliberate message to Tehran. Iran's Revolutionary Guards called the original U.S. Larak strike "a strategic and deadly mistake" and vowed continued retaliation. Qatar's foreign ministry condemned Iran's missile attacks as "a blatant violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity."

In separate comments, Trump addressed Venezuela and a recently announced oil deal, saying large U.S. oil companies are moving into Venezuelan fields and that it is up to Venezuela what it chooses to do about its OPEC membership. Analysts and oil traders have raised questions about the deal's structure, the figures released by Caracas, and whether any meaningful increase in supply could be years away.