WASHINGTON/CAIRO – US President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated that US forces will hit Iran "hard" in retaliation for Iran's latest attacks.

"We're going to be hitting them very hard because it's our turn to hit them," Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that he had been briefed that a US-owned liquefied natural gas carrier in Egypt was attacked earlier in the day.

"They know it's coming, they're asking us not to do it," Trump claimed.

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US forces on Wednesday conducted strikes against Iran, the US Central Command said on social media.

A drone strike was believed to have caused the explosion that set two natural gas carriers on fire at an Egyptian port, with at least one of the vessels being hit, US media reported, citing maritime intelligence firm Ambrey. The firm did not identify the attacker.

Egypt says fire breaks out on 2 vessels, with no casualties reported

Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said on Wednesday that a fire had broken out on a regasification vessel and a storage vessel at Damietta Port on the Mediterranean coast, adding that the incident was brought under control immediately and caused no casualties.

Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi headed to the scene to monitor the situation on the ground and oversee containment and safety operations, according to a statement by the ministry.

The ministry said emergency teams and the relevant technical authorities were taking the necessary measures in line with approved standards, adding that procedures were underway to assess the repercussions of the incident.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed regional developments and efforts to de-escalate tensions during separate phone calls on Wednesday with US president's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.

During his talks with Witkoff, Abdelatty and the US envoy exchanged views on the latest developments in the Middle East and underscored the importance of containing tensions and preventing the region from sliding into a broader conflict, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Abdelatty stressed the need to uphold the principles of good neighborliness, fully adhere to international law, and respect the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of states. He also emphasized the importance of prioritizing political and diplomatic solutions and intensifying efforts to restore regional security and stability.

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In the phone call with Dar, the ministers reviewed the rapidly evolving regional situation and stressed the importance of de-escalation, halting military operations, and advancing political and diplomatic solutions to regional crises.

They also reaffirmed the need to maintain close coordination and consultations between Egypt and Pakistan in support of diplomatic efforts aimed at enhancing regional peace and stability.

The calls came as the US-Iran conflict resumed on Wednesday after a brief pause, with Tehran launching missile attacks against US forces and regional defenses. The attacks were followed by coordinated strikes by Washington and Riyadh on "Iran-backed" groups in Iraq, with tensions over the Strait of Hormuz adding to regional uncertainty.