Trump: Iran to be ‘hit hard’ as blockade back on

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
The Center Square

Another round of strikes is hitting Iran, with President Donald Trump indicating the Islamic Republic will be “hit hard.”

The president announced Monday that the U.S. will be reinstating the naval blockade on Iranian ports, which the administration has claimed costs the Iranian economy between $400 million and $500 million a day in lost revenue. The blockade was lifted nearly a month ago following the signing of the memorandum of understanding.

Trump told reporters Monday afternoon that the U.S. will be hitting Iran “very heavy hard tonight,” and that the strikes will continue Tuesday.

U.S. Central Command announced that strikes began “at 4:45 p.m. ET,” marking the third night in a row the U.S. has conducted strikes against the Islamic Republic.

The strikes stem from Iranian aggression in the Strait of Hormuz as it continues to target commercial ships transiting the vital waterway.

It appears the U.S. is poised to return to full-scale offensive strikes against the Islamic Republic, with CENTCOM shifting its language characterizing the strikes from “defensive” to “offensive.”

In addition to the blockade, Trump announced that the U.S. will be “known as ‘the guardian of the Hormuz Strait,” imposing a 20% fee on all cargo transiting the waterway – describing it as a “matter of fairness.”

“Any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the world,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The Trump administration has requested $87.6 billion from Congress to cover the costs of the conflict, including more than $70 billion for military expenses, according to a White House supplemental appropriations request.

CENTCOM announced Sunday’s strikes targeted Iran’s air-defense systems, radar sites, missile and drone capabilities, as well as small boats.

The latest round of strikes comes a few days after Trump announced that the ceasefire, which went into effect on April 8, is over.

While U.S. officials and allied representatives maintain that talks are continuing, the president has voiced his frustration with Iran, saying that dealing with the Islamic Republic is a “waste of time,” calling the leaders “dirty players” and “liars.”

Last week, while attending the NATO summit in Turkey, Trump indicated to reporters that the Iranian leadership can’t be trusted in negotiations, coming weeks after the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding, entering technical talks to end the conflict.

The president has also highlighted Iran’s threats on his life, revealing he has been targeted by the Islamic Republic, underscoring it a handful of times over the past week. Multiple reports claim Israeli intelligence uncovered an alleged plot by Iran to target the president.

Despite Iran’s threats on cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. officials maintain ships continue to transit through the vital waterway.