President Donald Trump warned that the “biggest attack of them all” is still “waiting in the wings” after the United States launched another round of strikes against Iran and Tehran retaliated against American bases and regional allies.
Trump issued his warning after U.S. forces struck Iranian air defenses, radar systems, communications sites, maritime assets and mine-laying capabilities.
“If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Iran proceeded with retaliatory attacks across the region. Tehran said it targeted American military facilities in Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq.
Jordan said 13 Iranian ballistic missiles entered its airspace. Its air defenses intercepted 10, while three landed in remote areas without causing reported casualties. Bahrain also said it intercepted and destroyed Iranian aerial attacks.
The exchange marked the sharpest escalation between Washington and Tehran in weeks. The two sides had avoided direct military confrontation for roughly a month before strikes resumed Sunday near the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump later said the United States had “almost total control” of the strait and that Iran’s economy was collapsing. He said Tehran was “playing out the inevitable” and asked, “When are the Iranian people going to rise up and fight?”
Iran Says Two Tankers Hit Naval Mines
As the military confrontation widened, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said two oil tankers were disabled after striking naval mines while attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the IRGC, the vessels ignored warnings and traveled through what it called an “illegal route.” The crews reportedly left the ships after the incidents.
The exact cause has yet to be independently confirmed. Iran described the incidents as mine strikes, while separate maritime security reporting said one tanker was struck by unknown projectiles. Authorities were still investigating the recent attacks.
That distinction is important. Confirmed mine warfare would create a persistent threat requiring ships to wait for safe routes, naval escorts or mine-clearing operations. Even unconfirmed reports can discourage tanker owners and insurers from treating the waterway as safe.
Hormuz Does Not Need to Close to Disrupt Oil
The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s petroleum liquids consumption and more than 20% of global liquefied natural gas trade.
For investors, the central question is whether shipowners, insurers and commodity traders still believe the strait can be used safely and predictably.
The waterway can remain officially open while commercial traffic slows. Tanker operators may delay voyages, crews may refuse assignments and insurers may demand significantly higher premiums. Those decisions can restrict the effective capacity of the strait without a formal blockade.
The escalating threats also increase the risk of a cycle neither side can easily stop. The United States says its strikes are intended to protect commercial shipping and American personnel. Iran is using its missile forces and geographic position around Hormuz to demonstrate that it can still impose costs across the region.
The Stakes Are Rising Quickly
Trump’s warning signals that Washington is prepared to escalate far beyond the latest round of strikes if Iran continues retaliating. Iran’s attacks on regional bases and its claims about disabled tankers show that Tehran is also willing to widen the confrontation.
The immediate market test will come from vessel traffic through Hormuz. If tanker movements fall, insurance costs surge or ships begin waiting outside the strait, the conflict will have crossed from military escalation into a measurable global supply threat.
Hormuz does not need to close completely to shake energy markets. It only needs to become unreliable.
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