The United States carried out a fifth consecutive day of strikes on Iran Wednesday, hitting coastal defence systems and missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz, as President Trump warned of harsher action if Tehran doesn’t return to the negotiating table.
Iran’s military said at least seven soldiers were killed in overnight strikes on a base in the country’s southeast. Trump claimed Wednesday that Iranian officials had called seeking a deal, but Iran’s foreign ministry said on the same day it had no plans for negotiations.
Trump has repeatedly warned that the conflict will intensify, saying last week at the NATO summit in Turkey that he was ready to “just finish the job,” while threatening to target Iran’s power plants and bridges next week absent a diplomatic breakthrough.
Air defences were activated in Tehran early Thursday following fresh explosions. Trump is reportedly weighing options to expand the military operation further, as oil prices remain elevated above $85 a barrel amid continued disruption to Gulf shipping.
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