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Donald Trump announced this Thursday that the United States will strike Iran "very hard tonight" and threatened to take control of Jark Island, the main terminal for Iranian crude oil exports, in a message that escalates tensions in the Middle East to its highest point since the onset of the conflict.
“The United States will strike Iran (whose Navy, Air Force, radar systems, air defense, and all other forms of defense, along with most of its offensive capabilities, have DISAPPEARED!), VERY STRONGLY TONIGHT”, Trump wrote on his Truth Social.
"In some time in the not-too-distant future, we will take the island of Jark and other oil infrastructure points, and we will assume total control of their oil and gas markets, very much like what we have done with Venezuela, which is proving to be magnificent for both Venezuela and the United States. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP," he added.
The announcement comes on the second consecutive day of military escalation between Washington and Tehran, following a new wave of U.S. airstrikes on Wednesday and an Iranian response with attacks against U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
More bombs, bigger and more powerful
In a subsequent interview with Fox News, Trump confirmed that tonight's attacks will be of greater magnitude:
"Yes, there will be more bombings tonight," he said, adding that the bombs will be "bigger, more powerful."
However, the president himself acknowledged his doubts about the ground operation that would be required to take the island.
"I don't know if Americans have the stomach for that. I think they would prefer to see us go home," he stated.
Trump also opened the door to a diplomatic exit: “Iran is desperate to make a deal”, he asserted.
Why is Jark Island key?
The island of Jark is an enclave in the Persian Gulf that handles approximately 90% of Iranian crude oil exports, about 1.6 million barrels per day.
The Pentagon has been developing plans for its capture for months, but has repeatedly shelved them due to considering them too risky
it would require ground troops and could cause numerous casualties, according to a senior Pentagon official and two administration officials quoted by CNN.
Iran, for its part, has reinforced the island's defenses for months: it has deployed portable MANPAD missile systems and placed anti-personnel and anti-tank mines along the coast where U.S. troops might land.
The escalation of the last two days
This Wednesday, the U.S. Central Command launched a second wave of airstrikes against Iranian targets in retaliation for the downing of an Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.
In response, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard attacked 18 targets in the bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, and launched drones against the U.S. Fifth Fleet.
The Jordanian army intercepted and shot down 20 Iranian missiles aimed at the U.S. base in Azraq.
An attack on the oil tanker M/T Settebello off the coast of Oman resulted in the death of three Indian sailors.
Diplomacy on the Brink of Collapse
The Iranian Foreign Ministry declared this Thursday that the ceasefire in effect since April 8 is "practically irrelevant" following the recent attacks, describing them as "illegal and criminal" and a "flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter."
Iran also announced the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which more than 20% of the world's oil passes, although the U.S. denied it, stating that commercial vessels continued to transit.
A Qatari delegation mediating between the parties left Tehran after negotiations that extended into the early hours of Thursday while the U.S. bombed Iran.
The commander of the Aerospace Force of the Revolutionary Guard, Majid Mousavi, issued the most direct warning so far: "Do you think you can turn the sacred Strait of Hormuz into an unsafe place? We will turn the entire region into hell for you."
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