Trump Announces US Will Strike Iran Overnight Amid Gulf Tensions

US President Donald Trump declared in a Monday evening interview that the United States will launch powerful strikes against Iran overnight and into the following day. He described Iranians as "terrible people" and criticized their failure to meet expectations from a memorandum of understanding. This announcement comes amid escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, where Iran's Revolutionary Guards reported firing on ships in the Strait of Hormuz that did not comply with Iranian directives. Concurrently, explosions were reported in Bandar Abbas and drone flights were observed in the area.

Earlier, the US-led Combined Maritime Forces announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz starting at 23:00 Israel time, applying to all vessels regardless of their flag. According to the New York Times, Trump officially informed Congress that hostilities have resumed but emphasized that no US ground forces are involved, describing the strikes as "limited, measured, and deliberate."

When questioned about possible Israeli involvement in the strikes, Trump declined to comment, stating, "I don't want to talk about it." Regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump praised him, saying, "Bibi is doing a great job, but sometimes I disagree with him."