US President Donald Trump has declared that Iran’s military has been “completely defeated,” while warning Tehran that it would “pay the price” for delaying an agreement with Washington.
His remarks came shortly after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a series of missile and drone attacks targeting American military facilities across the Middle East. The strikes were described by Tehran as retaliation for recent US military operations inside Iran.
According to US Central Command, the latest operations against Iranian targets followed the loss of an AH-64 Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. Washington attributed the incident to Iranian actions, further escalating tensions between the two countries.
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump dismissed Iran’s response, writing that Tehran was “all talk and no action.” He also declared that “The Bully of the Middle East is DEAD!!!” and criticized Iranian leaders for taking too long to negotiate a deal with the United States.
Trump argued that Iran had missed an opportunity to secure an agreement favorable to its interests and warned that the country would now face consequences. The latest exchange of attacks represents the most serious escalation since a ceasefire was announced in early April.
Attempts to transform the truce into a lasting peace arrangement have largely stalled, with both Washington and Tehran repeatedly accusing one another of violating the ceasefire terms.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said recent US strikes had severely damaged diplomatic efforts and forced Tehran to reconsider its involvement in negotiations. He accused Washington of undermining diplomacy through military action and sending conflicting signals about its intentions. Baqaei also pointed to Israeli military operations in Lebanon as an additional obstacle to progress.
The IRGC stated that its retaliatory operation targeted the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain as well as facilities at Jordan’s al-Azraq Air Base. Iranian officials claimed attacks were carried out against 21 locations across Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait. Authorities in Jordan and Kuwait reported intercepting incoming missiles and drones.
Meanwhile, Israel continued military operations in Lebanon against what it says are Hezbollah positions. Reports indicated that at least eight people were killed in strikes near Tyre and Sidon on Wednesday.
Trump has also reportedly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent weeks, accusing him of complicating efforts to reach a diplomatic settlement with Iran.