U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Washington is prepared to launch a major military response against Iran if efforts to secure a peace agreement collapse, ramping up pressure on Tehran amid ongoing diplomatic efforts.
"We're going to be attacking them, attacking them very hard," Trump told reporters at the White House, citing Iran's downing of an Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.
The president reiterated that Iran will be hit on Wednesday.
"We want a deal that is meaningful, we want a deal that works," Trump added about the negotiations with Iran.
Trump said that Iran has already agreed not to obtain a nuclear weapon, but the agreement still needs to be signed.
On Tuesday, Trump accused Iran of bringing down a U.S. military helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz and said Washington would be compelled to respond, escalating tensions as U.S. authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Iran has not accepted responsibility for bringing down the military helicopter. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that foreign military forces operating near Iran "face risks" and called on them to leave the region.
The incident followed several days of fluctuating tensions in the region, during which Israel and Iran traded military strikes before pulling back, underscoring the fragility of a cease-fire.
