President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned that Iran “will have to pay the price” following renewed military clashes between the United States and Iran, even as both sides continue negotiations aimed at ending the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump sharply criticized Iran’s military capabilities and accused Tehran of delaying negotiations.
“Iran’s Military is a complete and total mess,” Trump wrote. “Much of it, like their Navy and Air Force, doesn’t even exist anymore – They have been completely defeated. Iran is all talk and no action. The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!! They’ve taken too long to negotiate a deal that would have been great for them, now they will have to pay the price!!!”
The latest escalation began Tuesday when an AH-64 Apache helicopter was shot down near the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz. Two U.S. service members were rescued and were reported to be in stable condition.
Trump initially told reporters that the crew members were “fine” and that the incident was under investigation. Later that day, he blamed Iran for the attack and indicated the United States would respond.
U.S. Central Command subsequently announced that it “began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief’s direction, in response to yesterday’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter.”
Iran responded overnight through its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, launching 21 attacks targeting U.S. bases and other locations across the region. According to a U.S. official cited by The New York Times, all Iranian missile and drone strikes were intercepted, and no damage to U.S. installations was reported.
Iranian state media said the attacks came in response to U.S. strikes near the Strait of Hormuz that destroyed two water desalination plants in the southern Hormozgan Province.
Despite the exchange of military action, diplomatic efforts remain underway. Both sides have tentatively agreed to a memorandum of understanding intended to end the conflict, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and establish a framework for addressing the future of Iran’s nuclear program.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, one of the country’s leading negotiators, signaled that Tehran remains committed to diplomacy while warning against violations of any agreement.
“Break your commitments, and we’ll switch to what we speak best,” Ghalibaf wrote on X. “You ride the horse you saddled!”
Trump has repeatedly expressed optimism that a deal is within reach. Earlier Tuesday, he told reporters that the United States and Iran were possibly “two or three days” away from signing a peace agreement.
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