WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stern warning on Saturday, stating that Iran will be “hit very hard” as the ongoing military conflict enters its second week. Speaking after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a public apology for “fire at will” strikes on neighboring Gulf nations, Trump dismissed the gesture as a sign of weakness. In a post on Truth Social, Trump characterized Iran as being “beat to hell” and claimed the Iranian administration is now a “failure” in the Middle East. He asserted that the promise to stop attacking neighbors was only made due to the “relentless U.S. and Israeli attack” on Iranian military infrastructure.
The military campaign, dubbed Operation Roaring Lion by Israeli forces, has reportedly dealt a massive blow to Tehran’s defensive capabilities. U.S. and Israeli officials claim to have destroyed approximately 80% of Iran’s air defense systems and 60% of its ballistic missile launchers within the first few days of the engagement. This has allowed Allied air forces to maintain near-total air superiority over Iranian territory. Despite President Pezeshkian’s assurance that Iran would no longer target neighboring countries unless attacked from their soil, Trump signaled that the U.S. is considering expanding its target list to include areas and groups previously unaffected by the strikes.
The conflict took a dramatic turn earlier this week with the sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean. The vessel, which was returning from naval exercises hosted by India, was struck by a torpedo fired from the U.S. Navy submarine USS Charlotte off the coast of Sri Lanka. The Pentagon confirmed the strike, marking the first time since World War II that a U.S. submarine has sunk an enemy surface ship. Sri Lankan authorities have recovered 87 bodies from the site, while 32 survivors were rescued. In swift retaliation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for a missile attack on an American oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf, leaving the vessel on fire and further threatening the stability of global energy routes.
