Trump: 'We'll Hit Iran Hard Again', US Strikes Resume as Shipping, Oil and Diplomacy Sputter

President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that the United States would "hit them hard again today," as US forces resumed strikes on multiple targets inside Iran. US Central Command said the strikes began at 17:15 Eastern Time and were launched “in response to Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression.”

The moves follow a pattern: US strikes on Tuesday targeted Iranian defense systems, ground control and radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz after officials said an Army Apache helicopter had been downed. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported it struck US bases in the region in retaliation, and both sides have traded blows and warnings since late February.

Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, posted on social media that Iran would "stand firm against any pressure or threat," while the foreign ministry's spokesman accused the US of undermining diplomacy by sending mixed messages, violating ceasefires and shifting demands, making talks harder to sustain.

The helicopter incident itself is messy in the details: US officials described it as shot down, with some accounts saying an unmanned drone grazed the aircraft. The two crew survived and were rescued by an American sea drone. Iran's semi-official outlets did not claim responsibility for the downing, and US military leaders called the strikes a "proportional response." A Reuters-cited official said most Iranian missiles and drones fired in the exchanges were intercepted, with no reported casualties.

The conflict is now hitting commercial traffic and energy flows. The US said it struck an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that it accused of violating a blockade by taking Iranian oil, the Settebello. India reported three sailors missing and 21 rescued after the attack; the Settebello is the eighth vessel the US has engaged amid the blockade and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran. Shipping companies, insurers and traders are watching nervously, risk premiums and rerouted cargoes are the practical fallout of this showdown.

Diplomatic leverage is also on the table. The International Atomic Energy Agency approved a US-backed resolution requesting details from Iran on its uranium stockpile and facilities. Iran's mission to the UN slammed the move as hypocritical while military actions continue. The nuclear issue remains central: Western governments suspect Iran wants a bomb, while Tehran insists its program is peaceful, and both positions shape whether talks yield a deal or more strikes.

Short-term, the picture is straightforward and not calming: more strikes, more rhetoric, and more uncertainty for trade, energy markets and the fragile diplomatic process that briefly paused earlier this year. Negotiations have been on and off, including talks in Pakistan, but each exchange of fire makes the path to a lasting deal rockier. For now, governments, traders and shipping captains are updating their risk calculators and hoping diplomacy can catch up to the headlines.