Trump Says U.S. Will Launch Powerful Strike on Iran Tonight, Vows to Take Oil Fields

The American president announced a broad attack on Iran later tonight and said Iranian defense systems had been completely destroyed. | “We will take over Kharg Island and the oil fields” (World) U.S. Marines board a UH-1Y helicopter (Photo: U.S. Army | Official account) President Donald Trump issued a combative statement today (Thursday) in which he announced that the U.S. military was expected to carry out another broad and powerful strike against Iran tonight. In the statement, the president said that most of the Islamic Republic’s defense and attack systems had already been completely destroyed.

“The United States will strike Iran very hard tonight,” Trump wrote. “Navy, Air Force, radar, air defenses and all the rest of its defenses, along with most of its offensive capability, are gone.” The statement comes against the backdrop of a second round of American strikes in Iran in less than 48 hours.

The plan to seize oil fields The main part of Trump’s statement focused on the administration’s long-term intentions. The president made clear that the U.S. intends in the near future to take control of Iran’s key energy assets, led by the strategic oil island of Kharg, from which much of Iran’s oil is exported.

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“At some point in the not-too-distant future, we will take Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure points,” Trump said. According to him, the goal is “to establish total control over their oil and gas markets, similar to what we did with Venezuela.” The president claimed the move in Venezuela “is working brilliantly, both for Venezuela and for the United States.”

Background: a broad American strike wave Trump’s statement comes after U.S. military forces carried out extensive strikes overnight against strategic targets in Iran. According to a statement from U.S. Central Command, American forces attacked military surveillance capabilities, communication systems and air defense sites across the country.

The explosions shook six key locations across Iran, including Karaj, Bandar Abbas, Sanandaj and Varamin. According to reports from Iran, air defense systems were activated in Fars province, on Qeshm Island and in the capital Tehran. Explosions were also reported on Kish Island, on Qeshm Island and in Sirik near the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic passage point for the world’s oil tankers.

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Dramatic discussion at the White House A few hours before the statement was published, Trump held a dramatic discussion in the White House Situation Room about the possibility of additional strikes against Iran. Senior administration officials took part, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in parallel with the meeting, “We will strike Iran hard tonight. We will attack key sites in the country.” According to him, “We used the ceasefire to improve the intelligence we have and update the target bank in Iran.”

Fighter jets in nighttime activity in the Middle East (Photo: Archive)

Iranian responses In Tehran, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, called on President Trump to abandon the language of threats. “A long-term agreement cannot be achieved through threats, intimidation or the use of force,” he said during an emergency session of the Security Council.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian recently acknowledged a troubling security breach within the leadership. “It is unacceptable that the enemy can assassinate our commanders so easily,” he said at a state memorial ceremony. However, he made clear, “Let them keep dreaming that we will give up or surrender regarding our honor, our land and our territory, that is not something we will give up.”

Regional consequences Security tensions in the Persian Gulf reached a new peak. According to reports, Iran responded to the American strikes by firing at Gulf states, and Kuwait announced the closure of its airspace. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.

Amid the tensions, it was reported that three Indian sailors were killed in the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. military bombed an oil tanker. Their bodies were recovered off the coast of Oman, an incident that added fuel to the conflict between Washington and Tehran.

While Qatari mediators try to advance contacts between the two powers, Trump’s combative statement indicates that the American administration is choosing maximum military pressure on the regime in Tehran at this stage. More updates to follow.