The United States escalated its campaign against Iran on Wednesday, as President Donald Trump warned of further military action and the Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on entities accused of facilitating weapons procurement for Tehran, including several based in China and Hong Kong.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, President Trump emphasized a hardline stance, stating, “We hit them hard yesterday and we’re going to hit them again hard today.”
Regarding diplomatic efforts, the President noted that while a deal seemed imminent, he believed Iran was intentionally stalling and attempting to manipulate the U.S. position.
These warnings coincided with a report from US Central Command (CENTCOM) stating that forces had fired upon an oil tanker attempting to transport Iranian oil in violation of a blockade on Iranian ports.
This action followed strikes conducted Tuesday against Iranian military installations near the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM characterized those strikes as an act of self-defense following the instance where Iran shot down a US military helicopter.
Simultaneously, the Treasury Department announced sanctions targeting various individuals and organizations, including nine entities in China and Hong Kong, for their alleged roles in supporting weapons acquisition for the Iranian military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.