US President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States will retaliate against Iran following missile and drone attacks on American forces in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“We’re going to hit them hard. There will be a response,” Trump told Fox News.
He noted that US air defense systems intercepted most of the incoming fire. One missile was identified as “not going to hit anything significant,” and US forces allowed it to pass through the airspace, Trump said.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Monday it had struck the King Hussein and Azraq airbases in Jordan with ballistic missiles while also targeting Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE with explosive drones.
The IRGC said the operation was retaliation for a US strike on Larak Island on Sunday, which reportedly aimed to stop the placement of sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transit point.
Trump also expressed skepticism regarding a diplomatic breakthrough, noting that while Tehran seeks a meeting, current US sanctions are “kicking in strongly.”