President Donald Trump warned Saturday that Iran “will be hit very hard,” signaling the possibility of additional military strikes as the conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States entered its second week.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump suggested new targets were under consideration and said the U.S. could expand its campaign against Iran.
“Iran, which is being beat to HELL,” Trump wrote, adding that the country “will be hit very hard.” He said areas and groups “that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time” were now being evaluated for potential strikes.
The comments come as fighting continues to escalate across the Middle East following Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, last month. The attacks triggered retaliatory missile and drone strikes by Iran and widened the conflict to include U.S. military involvement.
Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has rejected Trump’s demand that the country agree to “unconditional surrender,” calling the idea unrealistic and vowing Iran would continue to resist U.S. and Israeli attacks.
Missile launches and airstrikes have continued across the region in recent days, targeting military facilities and infrastructure in Iran and Israel. The growing conflict has raised fears of a wider regional war involving neighboring Gulf nations and U.S. forces stationed throughout the Middle East.
The fighting has already caused significant casualties. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said more than 1,300 Iranian civilians have been killed since the conflict began, though the United States and Israel dispute Iran’s characterization of some strikes.
Regional tensions also spilled beyond Iran and Israel. Several Gulf countries have reported intercepting Iranian missiles and drones, and airports and other infrastructure across the region have faced temporary disruptions amid security concerns.
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So far there has been little sign of diplomacy. Trump repeatedly said the conflict could end if Iran agrees to surrender, while Iranian leaders dismissed that demand and accused Washington of escalating the war.
With both sides hardening their positions and strikes continuing across the region, analysts warn the conflict could expand further unless diplomatic efforts emerge to de-escalate the fighting.
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