US President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that US strikes on Iran will increase and target key infrastructure unless the Iranians engage in serious negotiations for a deal.
Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump stated, "We're going to hit them very hard tonight, we're going to hit them very hard tomorrow night, we're going to hit them very hard the night after, and then next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants, next week comes the bridges."
“We're going to knock out all their power plants, we're going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate," he added.
Trump stressed that the strikes on Iran will “continue until I say it's enough…the word the military likes to use is degrade. They've been degraded to a very low level."
“And they have fight, you know, it's like a great boxer. You think you have him beat and then all of a sudden he comes back and he gives you a shot. They have some fight left but they don't have much and their weapon degrading has been incredible," he continued.
“The only way to negotiate with these people is through strength, and the only strength is military strength. Literally, two days ago, we had a deal, and then they broke it at the last moment," Trump stated.
Asked if he believes the Iranians are serious about making a deal, the President replied, “I think they have no choice. I think if I didn't do the way I'm doing, they would never make a deal. They would have never made a deal with Obama. That deal was the worst deal. What they did sign was a worthless piece of paper."
Trump accused the Iranians of constantly lying, telling Fox News, “Everything they say is a lie. They lie. I've never seen anything like it. They also come out and they'll tell you ‘we never discussed nuclear’. And we're in a room for five hours, and that's all we discussed. And they'll walk out and say, ‘nuclear was not discussed’. Everything was discussed."
Trump announced earlier on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz is open to international shipping but that a full blockade will be imposed on vessels connected to Iranian ports or Iranian cargo.
Later, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (11:00 p.m. Israel time), US Central Command (CENTCOM) officially announced that "US forces resumed the naval blockade against vessels transiting to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas."
At the same time, CENTCOM confirmed that its forces have begun launching an additional round of strikes against Iran to continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media reported strikes on Qeshm Island, as well as sounds of explosions in Ahvaz and Bandar Abbas.
Shortly before 1:00 a.m., the Iranian news agency Mehr reported that air defense systems were activated in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr.
Concurrently, the Fars news agency added that several heavy explosions were heard near the cities of Bampur and Chabahar in southeastern Iran. The source of these explosions is currently unknown.