US President Donald Trump has indicated that the United States may carry out further strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub, describing the possibility as “just for fun”. In an interview with NBC News on Saturday, Trump also dismissed the prospect of a swift peace deal with Tehran, stating that “the terms aren’t good enough yet”.
Trump claimed that US strikes had “totally demolished” most of Kharg Island, but noted that he had avoided targeting energy lines, as rebuilding them would take years. He also questioned whether Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is still alive, amid ongoing speculation about his condition.
The president addressed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely closed since the conflict began two weeks ago. He said it is unclear whether Iran has dropped mines in the waterway, but confirmed that the US would be “sweeping the strait very strongly” and expects to be joined by other countries. Trump did not specify which nations would participate or how long the process would take.
The disruption to global oil supplies caused by the strait’s paralysis has driven oil prices to their highest levels in four years, pushing up fuel costs worldwide, including in the United States. Trump renewed his call for other nations to help secure the strait, describing it as a “team effort” that should have been undertaken from the start.
In a separate Truth Social post, Trump asserted that the US has “beaten and completely decimated Iran, both Militarily, Economically, and in every other way”. However, he declined to confirm whether the US Navy would be escorting ships through the strait, saying he did not want to disclose operational details.
Trump also expressed surprise that US allies in the Gulf had been targeted by Iran, calling it “the biggest surprise I had of this whole thing”. His comments come amid ongoing US-Israeli military operations against Iran, which have raised concerns about regional stability and global energy security.
