By SUNTV Global Channel
July 13, 2026
United States President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Iran, threatening further military strikes while suggesting that Washington could take a long-term security role over the strategic Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of diplomatic efforts between both countries.
Trump made the remarks during a telephone interview with Fox News, amid rising tensions between the United States and Iran after indirect negotiations over the key waterway failed to produce an agreement.
The US president claimed that American forces had inflicted heavy damage on Iranian military assets during recent operations, stating that Iran’s defence systems had been severely weakened.
“Most of their equipment is gone. Their anti-aircraft gun, we hit them very hard last night,” Trump said, adding that US forces would continue responding to what he described as Iranian violations of previous agreements.
The comments came after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for attacks on military facilities hosting US forces in Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. Iran also alleged that it had destroyed American-linked defence installations and shot down a US drone near Bandar Abbas.
The United States has not officially confirmed the extent of the reported damage from the attacks.
Trump accused Tehran of repeatedly abandoning negotiated agreements and vowed that Washington would continue military action if necessary.
“We’re just going to hit them very hard,” he said.
In a major development, Trump suggested that the United States could take responsibility for protecting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime routes for global energy shipments.
“We’re going to keep the Strait and we’ll probably run it,” Trump said, describing the possible role as becoming a “guardian” of the waterway.
He added that other countries benefiting from the security arrangement should contribute financially, arguing that the United States should not bear the cost alone.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, with a significant portion of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passing through the narrow route daily.
Analysts warn that any major disruption to the waterway could affect global energy prices, shipping costs and international markets.
The latest escalation follows the failure of indirect talks between Iran and Oman in Muscat, where efforts to reach an agreement on shipping and navigation arrangements reportedly collapsed.
Iran has accused the United States of applying pressure during the negotiations, while Washington continues to signal readiness to respond to Iranian military actions.
As of the time of this report, Iran had not issued an official response to Trump’s comments regarding possible US security control of the Strait of Hormuz.
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