Trump Vows ‘More Powerful’ Strikes on Iran, Eyes Control of Kharg Island

President Donald J. Trump delivered a blunt update Thursday morning on the escalating conflict with Iran, telling “Fox & Friends” that U.S. military operations are set to intensify and that fresh strikes are expected later that night.

The president also floated a sweeping long-term strategy aimed at crippling Tehran’s power base: taking control of key Iranian oil infrastructure, including Kharg Island, the regime’s most important petroleum export hub.

Speaking after recent U.S. airstrikes, Trump described Iran as a badly weakened adversary whose military capabilities have been severely damaged.

He also took aim at “crooked” media outlets, accusing them of minimizing American military success while amplifying narratives that portray the operation as chaotic or open-ended.

Trump made clear that his administration’s objective is not another endless Middle Eastern war, but a decisive campaign to neutralize the threat from Tehran.

“The United States will be hitting Iran very hard tonight at some point in the not too distant future,” Trump stated directly.

He said the coming operation would be even stronger than previous strikes.

“There will be more bombing tonight. It will be bigger — bigger, more powerful.”

Trump said recent American action came after Iran downed a U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically vital waterways.

“The regime has been decimated,” he said, noting that Iran’s navy, air force, radar systems, air defenses, and much of its offensive capability are “completely GONE.”

The president also described what he said was a remarkable survival story involving the downed Apache.

He said an Iranian drone lodged between the helicopter’s two pilots but failed to explode, allowing both crew members to be rescued.

Administration officials echoed Trump’s assessment, saying U.S. forces have carried out multiple rounds of targeted strikes against Iranian military sites in response to Tehran’s aggression.

While peace talks remain in the background, Trump suggested Iran has squandered its chance to reach a favorable deal.

“We’re talking to them and all,” he said, while making clear that his administration will not allow Tehran to stall indefinitely.

At the center of Trump’s broader strategy is Kharg Island, Iran’s key oil export point and a critical source of revenue for the regime.

“My preference has always been — take Kharg Island … my preference would be that,” the president told Fox News.

“We will be taking Kharg Island and other oil infrastructure points and assume total control of their oil and gas markets,” he added.

Trump acknowledged that such a move would be significant and could test the political will of the country.

“I don’t know that America has the stomach for it, to be honest,” he said.

Still, he suggested the potential payoff would be enormous, both strategically and economically. Cutting off Iran’s oil revenue would strike at the heart of the regime’s ability to fund terrorism, destabilize the region, and threaten American interests.

Trump contrasted his approach with what he characterized as years of weakness from prior administrations, arguing that failed policies allowed Iran to expand its nuclear ambitions and spread chaos across the Middle East.

Now, he said, the regime is facing a very different kind of American leadership.

“They’re really in submission, they just don’t know it yet,” he remarked, adding that the U.S. dropped “$250 million worth of bombs” in a recent operation.

The president also rejected media claims that the conflict is spiraling beyond control.

Trump argued that U.S. strikes are being aimed at military targets, not civilian infrastructure, in order to protect American forces and allies while limiting broader suffering.

“I’d rather not” hit bridges and power plants, Trump said, emphasizing that his focus remains on degrading Iran’s military capability.

White House and Pentagon sources indicated that operations are still centered on preventing Iran from threatening U.S. forces, regional allies, and global energy supplies.

Recent Iranian retaliation attempts were reportedly intercepted and caused no damage to American assets in the region.

Trump’s message was unmistakable: America will not be intimidated, Iran will not be allowed to control the Strait of Hormuz, and the United States will not reward aggression with weakness.

The president also reiterated that this is “not an endless war,” but a campaign designed to deliver results without falling into the nation-building traps of the past.

For conservatives, the moment reflects the core of Trump’s foreign policy doctrine: peace through strength, decisive action, and an America First refusal to let hostile regimes dictate the terms.