President Donald Trump said the United States will be “bombing the hell out of shoreline” to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open, prompting a warning from Iran. As reported by The Jerusalem Post, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the strategic waterway is closed only to “tankers and ships of enemies and their allies.”
The exchange comes amid growing tensions in the region following recent US military operations targeting Iranian sites. Both sides have issued increasingly direct warnings over shipping access and energy infrastructure.
Trump’s comments also followed a large US military operation announced days earlier. The president said US Central Command carried out a major strike against military installations on Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil export hub.
Threats around Hormuz are intensifying
Trump said the strike “totally obliterated every MILITARY target” on Kharg Island while avoiding the island’s oil infrastructure. In a post on Truth Social, he described it as “one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East.”
He said the decision to spare oil facilities was made “for reasons of decency,” but warned that the situation could change. Trump stated that if Iran or anyone else interfered with the “Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz,” he would “immediately reconsider this decision,” as broader national security concerns were also surfacing in FBI terror threat warnings.
CENTCOM later confirmed the operation, stating that US forces struck more than 90 Iranian military targets in a large-scale precision attack. According to the military, the strikes destroyed naval mine storage sites, missile bunkers, and other military facilities.
Speaking Saturday, Trump said the United States would reopen the Strait of Hormuz “one way or another.” He also threatened that US forces would be “continually shooting Iranian boats and ships out of water.”
Trump added that he hoped countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea, and Britain would send warships to help secure the shipping route. The statement came as the widening conflict also fed economic anxiety reflected in new GDP concerns .
Iran’s foreign minister warned that Tehran would retaliate if its energy infrastructure was targeted. Araghchi said Iran could strike facilities belonging to US companies operating in the region.
Trump also claimed Iran’s military capabilities had been heavily degraded. Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews, he said Iran’s navy and air force were effectively gone and that “most of their military is gone.”
The president also said the US Navy would begin escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz “very soon.” He added that Iran’s previous ambitions to dominate the Middle East and destroy Israel were now “dead.”
CENTCOM later released footage showing B-2 stealth bombers departing for what it called “Operation Epic Fury,” describing the mission as an effort to weaken Iran’s ability to rebuild military capabilities. Trump also acknowledged that US and Israeli goals in the conflict with Iran may “be a little different.”
Published: Mar 14, 2026 05:00 pm