‘We’ll probably hit them hard again’: Trump warns Iran U.S. is preparing for more strikes following what he called the end of the ceasefire

President Donald Trump warned Iran on Wednesday that the U.S. was preparing for another night of strikes, just hours after he said the ceasefire was over because of Iranian attacks.

A day after assaults on commercial shipping escalated into an exchange of fire on Iranian and U.S. military targets, Trump renewed his past threats to strike Iran’s civilian infrastructure, including electric plants and desalinization plants, and to seize the oil-production hub of Kharg Island.

“We hit them very hard last night,” Trump said when asked about a possible return to hostilities. “We’ll probably hit them hard again tonight.”

Speaking on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump said the strikes are continued retaliation for Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

“They are behaving very badly,” he said of Iran, accusing the country of launching drones and a missile at ships. After three tankers were hit Tuesday, the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, and Iranian forces retaliated by attacking American military sites in the Gulf.

Strikes raise fears that war could resume

The latest exchange of fire raised fears that the war in Iran could reignite, and Trump fueled those concerns by saying the interim agreement to pause fighting was “over,” although he added that he would allow negotiations to continue.

Attacks have repeatedly threatened the shaky ceasefire, but Trump’s comments added new uncertainty, and oil prices shot up after he spoke. A renewed conflict could engulf the wider Middle East and would likely again halt energy shipments through the strait that are crucial to the........

© Fortune