BREAKING ALERT: US Launches Significant New Strikes Against Iran, Hegseth Warns Will Be 'Busy Tonight'
The United States military slammed Iranian targets Wednesday night, marking the second straight night U.S. warplanes attacked Iran after Iran downed a U.S. helicopter.
“U.S. Central Command forces began launching additional self-defense strikes today at 5:15 p.m. ET against multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief’s direction,” CENTCOM announced in a post on the social media platform X.
“The strikes are in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression,” the post said.
Iran reported explosions near the Strait of Hormuz and in western Tehran, according to the Times of Israel.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the United States “will be hitting Iran hard,” according to USA Today.
“Central Command will be busy tonight,” he said,
“If we need to negotiate with bombs, we’ll negotiate with bombs, and we’re very good at it. Nobody better in the world,” Hegseth said.
“President Trump said we’ll be hitting Iran hard, and we will be because Iran has a chance to make a good deal,” Hegseth said, according to the Times of Israel. “You can see when someone is trying to tap, tap, tap on a deal. Instead, they’re going to have tap, tap, tap bombs dropping on key facilities in Iran.”
“We don’t have to restart,” Hegseth said, adding that the military was “prepared to set the terms to ensure we get the kind of deal that President Trump expects.”
“Those strikes, that will happen tonight, they will be strong, they will be clear. If they happen tomorrow night, they will be strong, they will be clear, and, throughout, Iran has an opportunity to make a deal — that’s the point,” he said.
Earlier Wednesday, President Donald Trump indicated on Truth Social he was losing patience with Iran, writing, “They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!”
Asked later about that post, Trump said, “Well, we’re going to be attacking them and attacking them very hard,” according to USA Today.
“We hit them hard yesterday, and we’re going to hit them again hard today,” Trump said.
“And we’ll see what happens with the deal. We were really close to a deal, but they keep tapping us along. They keep playing us for suckers,” he said.
Iran has failed to dent U.S. defenses in its efforts to retaliate, Hegseth said.
“Most of their shots missed and were shot down by us, so their efficacy and their ability to actually strike is incredibly diminished,” he said.
As the military struck Iran, Trump chortled that the Islamic Republic had already been gravely wounded.
“Last month, I directed our Great U.S. Military to execute a secret mission to support Oil Tankers and other Commercial Ships through the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“Today, I am pleased to announce that this effort has resulted in more than 100 MILLION Barrels of Oil making its way through the Strait, and into the Open Market. More than 200 Commercial Ships have safely traveled through the Strait,” he wrote.
“This wildly successful effort is because the UNITED STATES of AMERICA CONTROLS the Strait of Hormuz — NOT Iran. Their military is defeated, and their economy is lost. It’s over for Iran!” Trump wrote.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
