President Donald Trump said the United States was prepared to launch further strikes on Iran “any time we want”, raising the prospect of a wider escalation after the heaviest exchange of attacks between the two countries in weeks.
Trump said on Wednesday that U.S. forces had destroyed Iranian military equipment and installations near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route, during strikes the previous night.
“It was a very heavy attack last night, and we’re prepared to do another one any time we want,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
The warning came as Iran accused the United States of killing civilians in a strike that hit a wedding gathering in southern Iran.
Iranian officials said at least four people were killed and dozens wounded when a strike hit a home in Kuhestak, near the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Central Command said it was aware of the reports and was reviewing them, while maintaining that the U.S. military does not target civilians.
The renewed fighting has ended a period of relative calm between Washington and Tehran and increased fears that the conflict could spread across the Gulf.
Iran has retaliated with attacks on U.S. allies and military positions in the region, including in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq, according to officials in the affected countries.
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a major flashpoint. Trump said U.S. forces had destroyed Iranian capabilities that Washington believed could threaten shipping through the waterway.
The president also floated the idea of renaming the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait”, saying the waterway was now under U.S. control, although he later dismissed the proposal as something that had merely been suggested.
The escalating violence has drawn renewed calls for restraint from the United Nations.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern over the renewed fighting and reports of civilian casualties, including the reported strike on the wedding.
He called for an immediate halt to military action and urged the United States and Iran to return to diplomacy, warning that further escalation could have devastating consequences for civilians and the wider region.
“A comprehensive and durable settlement can be achieved only through dialogue and negotiations,” Guterres said through his spokesman.
The latest confrontation has also raised concerns over regional security, humanitarian operations and the safety of one of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.
