U.S. and Iran exchange strikes as tensions escalate in Gulf region
The United States and Iran exchanged new attacks overnight as tensions between the two countries continued to rise despite ongoing discussions about a potential diplomatic agreement.
(NBC)- The United States and Iran exchanged new attacks overnight as tensions between the two countries continued to rise despite ongoing discussions about a potential diplomatic agreement.
President Donald Trump signaled a tougher approach toward Tehran, saying, “We’re going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard.”
U.S. Central Command said it carried out strikes targeting Iran’s military surveillance systems, communications networks and air defense capabilities. Military officials described the attacks as a response to what they called Iran’s “unwarranted and continued aggression.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the operation, saying, “When someone’s trying to tap, tap, tap on a deal, instead they’re going to have tap, tap, tap bombs dropping.”
Iran responded by launching attacks against U.S. allies in the Gulf region, prompting Kuwait to temporarily close its airspace.
For a second consecutive day, Iranian state media reported attacks targeting U.S. military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also released video it claimed showed military activity, though NBC News said it could not independently verify the footage. The latest escalation follows Iran’s downing of an American Apache helicopter and President Trump’s statement that Tehran had waited too long to reach an agreement and would now “pay the price.”
Despite the military action, Trump maintained that negotiations remain a goal.
“We want a deal that’s meaningful, we want a deal that works,” the president said.
The conflict comes as the administration faces economic pressure at home. A new report showed inflation reached 4.2% in May, the highest level in more than three years, driven largely by rising fuel costs.
Trump downplayed the report and argued inflation would decline once the conflict ends.
“I love the inflation,” Trump said, later clarifying to the New York Post that he meant inflation was lower than expected given the ongoing war.
The president also disclosed what he described as a previously undisclosed effort to stabilize energy markets, saying U.S. forces have been helping guide oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We took out the other night 22 ships late at night with no lights,” Trump said.
According to the president, those operations have helped move more than 100 million barrels of oil through the critical shipping route.
