Trump Warns Iran Will 'Pay The Price' For Taking Too Long To Reach Deal
US President Donald Trump says that Iran's military has been "completely defeated," warning that Tehran would "pay the price" for taking "too long to negotiate a deal" with Washington, as tensions between the two countries continued to escalate.
In a post on Truth Social on June 10, Trump described Iran's armed forces as "a complete and total mess," claiming that much of the country's navy and air force "doesn't even exist anymore."
He also asserted that Iran was "all talk and no action" and called the country the "Bully of the Middle East."
The remarks came after US forces carried out strikes on Iranian air-defense, radar, and surveillance sites late on June 9 near the Strait of Hormuz that Washington said were in response to the downing of a US Apache helicopter.
Iran subsequently launched missiles and drones toward US-linked targets in Jordan and across the Persian Gulf, though U.S. officials said most were intercepted.
Despite the latest exchange of attacks, Trump has repeatedly maintained that a negotiated agreement with Tehran remains possible.
Nonetheless, in a separate interview with Fox News on June 10, Trump said he was close to authorizing additional strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, if Tehran refused to sign an agreement.
Reuters also reported that Qatari negotiators traveled to Tehran on June 10 after consultations with Washington in an effort to finalize a deal.
According to Fox News, Trump said Iran still had an opportunity to reach an agreement, but suggested further military action remained an option if negotiations continued to stall.
Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
Iran Says Future Of Talks With US Under Review
Tehran says it is assessing whether negotiations with the United States can continue following the latest military confrontation between the two countries.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on June 10 that the impact of the recent military clashes on talks with Washington would have to be evaluated.
"This needs to be examined. Diplomacy and the battlefield are not separate matters; they exist alongside and complement one another," Baghaei said.
"Given last night's developments, we need to assess the situation," he added. "The diplomatic process does not take place in a vacuum, and any diplomatic process requires at least a minimum environment in which it can move forward."
The remarks came after the US military carried out strikes in southern Iran overnight in response to the downing of an American Apache helicopter off the coast of Oman on June 9.
Iran, in turn, responded by launching missiles at several countries in the region.
Despite the latest exchange of hostilities, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said in recent weeks that an agreement with Iran remains within reach.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Farda
Limited Strikes, Larger Signal: What The US Attack On Iran Reveals
WASHINGTON -- The US strikes on Iranian air defense and radar systems appear intended as a limited warning to Tehran rather than the opening salvo of a broader military campaign, according to senior US officials and regional security experts.
The attacks targeted several Iranian air defense and radar systems, with another US official telling RFE/RL that the operation was "ongoing" and focused on air defenses and radar installations. Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations across Hormozgan Province, including Sirik, Bandar Abbas, Minab, and on Qeshm Island.
The strikes come at a delicate moment in US-Iran relations, as the Trump administration continues to pursue negotiations with Tehran despite rising military tensions in the Persian Gulf.
Multiple US officials briefing reporters emphasized that they do not expect the military action to derail ongoing diplomatic efforts.
One senior official said that President Donald Trump still believes a peace agreement with Iran remains achievable, saying that "nothing changes where the deal stands right now" and describing an agreement as "still close."
Read Alex Raufoglu's analysis here.
Iran Targets US Bases Across Gulf After American Strikes
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it had launched missile and drone attacks on a US military base in Jordan and other American-linked targets across the Persian Gulf on June 10 in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian military installations near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian media reported that the attacks targeted the US Al Azraq base in Jordan, as well as sites in Kuwait and Bahrain.
The Revolutionary Guards said they struck facilities including aircraft hangars and a command center and warned they were prepared to deliver a "crushing and decisive" response to any further US action.
The attacks followed a US operation against nearly 20 Iranian air-defense, radar, and surveillance sites near the Strait of Hormuz.
The strikes came after President Donald Trump said Iran was responsible for the downing of a US Apache helicopter a day earlier and vowed a "very powerful" response.
Jordan's military said it intercepted and destroyed five missiles headed toward Al-Azraq, while Bahrain and Kuwait reported engaging incoming aerial threats.
A US official said preliminary assessments indicated that nearly all Iranian missiles and drones had been intercepted, with no immediate reports of casualties or damage to American facilities.
The exchanges mark one of the most serious escalations since Washington and Tehran agreed to a cease-fire in April.
US Concludes Retaliatory Strikes On Iran, Says Nearly 20 Targets Hit
WASHINGTON -- The United States said it has concluded a wave of retaliatory strikes against Iran, targeting nearly 20 military sites after Tehran was blamed for the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter and a series of attacks on US forces and commercial shipping in the region.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said late on June 9 that American fighter aircraft struck Iranian air defense systems, ground control stations, and surveillance radar facilities near the Strait of Hormuz in what it described as a "proportional response" ordered by President Donald Trump.
A senior US official told reporters that approximately 20 targets inside Iran were hit during the operation, which has now concluded.
The strikes prompted an Iranian response involving multiple missiles and drones, but a US official said "just about all" of the incoming projectiles were intercepted.
The official added that Washington had received no reports of US casualties or damage to American facilities, though assessments were continuing.
CENTCOM said US forces remain on alert and prepared to respond to any further attacks.
Iran has not yet publicly detailed the extent of any damage from the strikes.
US Launches 'Self Defense' Strikes On Iran In Response To Downing Of Apache Helicopter
- By RFE/RL
The United States said it launched "self-defense" strikes against Iran on June 9 just hours after President Donald Trump said Washington was compelled to respond to the downing of a US Army Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
"US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief’s direction, in response to yesterday’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter," CENTCOM said in a statement on X.
"The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression."
It gave no further details.
The Iranian Fars news agency, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), said explosions were heard in the eastern regions of Hormozgan, while the Mehr news agency reported explosions in the area of Sirik Port.
It added that residents and local sources also reported hearing explosions in the area of Qeshm Island and Jask city.
In a post on Truth Social on June 9, Trump said he had been informed by the US military that "the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters" and that "the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack." He added that the two pilots aboard the aircraft were "safe and uninjured."
Earlier, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that two crew members had been rescued after an AH-64 Apache helicopter went down near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters.
The US military said the soldiers were recovered within about two hours and were in stable condition, but noted that the cause of the incident remained under investigation.
Before Trump's post, sources briefed on the matter had told reporters it was unclear whether the helicopter had been hit by Iranian fire, suffered a mechanical failure, or experienced another problem.
Israel Orders Evacuation Of Lebanese City After Deadly Air Strike
An Israeli air strike on the southern Lebanese city of Tyre killed at least eight people and wounded 32 others on June 9, Lebanon's Health Ministry said, as Israel expanded its campaign against Hezbollah despite Iranian warnings against further attacks on Lebanon.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported strikes on more than a dozen locations across southern Lebanon.
The agency said the deadly strike on Tyre's outskirts came before the Israeli military issued an evacuation order covering the entire city, including its Christian quarter and nearby Palestinian refugee camps.
In a warning posted on X, a spokesman for the Israeli military urged residents to leave the area and move north of the Zahrani River, around 30 kilometers from Tyre.
Correspondents for the AFP news agency reported residents fleeing the city and heavy traffic heading north.
The latest escalation comes a day after Iran warned it would resume attacks on Israel if Israeli forces continued striking Lebanon.
Tehran has insisted that Lebanon be included in any broader agreement to end the regional conflict.
The war began after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel in March in support of Iran.
Lebanese authorities say Israeli strikes have killed more than 3,600 people and displaced more than one million since then.
Both sides have continued fighting despite a cease-fire announced in mid-April.
With reporting by AFP and Reuters
Trump Says Iran Shot Down Apache Helicopter And That US Must Respond
US President Donald Trump has said that Iran shot down a US Army Apache helicopter while it was patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz, adding that Washington would be compelled to respond.
In a post on Truth Social on June 9, Trump said he had been informed by the US military that "the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters" and that "the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack." He added that the two pilots aboard the aircraft were "safe and uninjured."
Earlier, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that two crew members had been rescued after an AH-64 Apache helicopter went down near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters.
The US military said the soldiers were recovered within about two hours and were in stable condition, but noted that the cause of the incident remained under investigation.
Before Trump's post, sources briefed on the matter had told reporters it was unclear whether the helicopter had been hit by Iranian fire, suffered a mechanical failure, or experienced another problem.
US Embassy Lifts Shelter-In-Place Order In Israel
The US Embassy in Jerusalem says it has lifted its shelter-in-place order for American government employees and their families "as a result of changes to the current security situation in Israel."
The restrictions were imposed on June 8 after Iran launched missiles at Israel and fears grew that the confrontation between the two countries could escalate further.
As Israel eases civil-defense restrictions following the latest hostilities, the embassy said in a statement that its consular sections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv would reopen for routine and emergency services on June 10.
The announcement on June 9 came after Iran halted missile attacks launched in response to Israeli strikes during the escalating confrontation between the two countries. Israel has also signaled a pause in operations, though both sides have warned they could resume military action if attacked again.
Despite the easing of restrictions, the embassy said travel limits remain in place for US personnel in parts of northern Israel, near the Gaza Strip and along sections of the Egyptian border, as well as in most of the West Bank.
Ben Gurion Airport remains operational, while US citizens were urged to continue monitoring security alerts and remain prepared for any renewed escalation.
Iranian Media: Funeral Held For Soldiers Killed In Israeli Attacks
The Tasnim news agency, close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), reported that funeral was held on June 9 for two members of the army's air defense forces who were killed in Israeli attacks on Iran the day before.
The two soldiers were named as Bahman Hosseini and Alireza Abiri.
Tasnim confirmed that both Hosseini and Biri were members of the Air Defense Force of the Iranian Army and that they were killed on June 8 while "carrying out a mission."
Iran has not routinely announced news of casualties among its military forces during Israeli or American strikes on Iran.
On June 8, the head of Tehran's emergency department had announced that no one was injured in the Israeli attacks on the province.