Trump's Harsh Threat Against Iran: 'We Will Hit Very Hard Tonight'

Collapse of the Interim Agreement and Declaration of a New War of Words On July 8, 2026, during the NATO summit in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, Donald Trump made sharp remarks against the officials of the Islamic Republic. Stating that the memorandum signed in June to end the conflicts is no longer valid, he said: 'As far as I am concerned, it is all over.' Trump called the Iranian leaders 'liars' and 'scum of the earth' and emphasized that he no longer has any desire to negotiate with them [2, 3].

These remarks were made after the newspaper 'Türkiye Gazetesi' reported that Trump explicitly threatened: 'We will hit very hard tonight' [1]. This threat indicates a return to the 'maximum pressure' policy and the possibility of the start of a widespread military conflict in the region.

Heavy Exchange of Fire in the Persian Gulf Recent tensions intensified after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that in response to Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, it bombed more than 80 targets on Iranian soil [4]. These targets included air defense systems, command and control networks, and more than 60 IRGC speedboats [3].

In response, Iranian state media reported that the country's armed forces, in a retaliatory move, targeted 85 United States military bases and facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait with drone and missile attacks [4]. This exchange of fire, considered the most serious violation of last month's temporary ceasefire, has placed the region on the brink of an all-out war.

International Reactions and Iran's Internal Situation NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in a joint press conference with Trump, described the US attacks as 'absolutely necessary' and claimed that Iran violated agreements by targeting international shipping [3]. This comes while Iran is holding funeral ceremonies for its former leader, and Trump claimed that Tehran has turned to firing missiles at ships instead of focusing on these ceremonies [2].

Economic and Strategic Consequences Trump's new threats immediately affected global energy markets and sharply increased oil prices. Additionally, in his conversations, Trump mentioned the possibility of seizing Kharg Island, the vital artery of Iran's oil exports, to take full control of the region's oil and gas markets [4]. Given the warning from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to avoid flying in Iranian and Iraqi airspace, it seems the international community is preparing for a critical night [4].