Trump warns U.S. strikes on Iran could get ‘really bad’ next week
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 14, 2026.
Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images
US President Donald Trump warned on Tuesday that US military strikes against Iran will intensify next week if Tehran does not cooperate in peace talks in the coming days.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday evening, Trump hinted that the conflict is more likely to intensify rather than subside as the fragile ceasefire agreed to last month continues to break down.
“We’re going to hit them hard tonight,” he said. “We’re going to hit them hard tomorrow night. We’re going to hit them hard the next night.”
He added that US forces will continue to target key Iranian infrastructure next week without diplomatic progress.
“Next week it’s going to be really bad for them because the power plants are coming next week,” he said. “The bridges are coming next week. We will disable all their power plants. We will destroy all their bridges unless they come to the table and negotiate.”
Trump’s interview comes after U.S. Central Command launched more strikes against Iran on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Tehran also launched attacks on many Gulf countries.
Trump threatened to impose a 20 percent tax on cargo sent through the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week, then backed off the demand on Tuesday. The president said Gulf countries would instead invest in the United States as repayment.
The escalation of hostilities comes after the United States launched attacks on dozens of Iranian targets last week in retaliation for attacks on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump later said the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran was “over.”
Oil prices rose Wednesday morning as concerns persisted about safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping route in the Middle East. Global benchmark Brent crude futures for the first month remained above the $85 per barrel level.
Speaking to CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Wednesday, Jakob Larsen, head of safety and security at international maritime organization BIMCO, said the current situation is “not easy” for the industry.
“The fact that all these messages are going back and forth and completely changing direction just adds to the confusion and complexity of the whole situation,” he said. “If you step back and look at it from above, the overall environment we’re looking at is increased uncertainty, increased risks, and with that comes higher prices.”
