WASHINGTON/TEHRAN/UNITED NATIONS/DOHA – The US military is prepared to launch more strikes on Iran "any time we want," US President Donald Trump said Wednesday.
"It was a very heavy attack last night, and we're prepared to do another one any time we want," Trump told reporters at the White House.
The US military "took out all of the new equipment that they tried to build along the Strait of Hormuz," said Trump.
Iranian officials said Wednesday that the US strike on Tuesday night hit a wedding party in southern Iran, killing at least four people and wounding dozens of others.
The US Central Command said Wednesday it was looking into the reports and the US military "never targets civilians."
When asked on Wednesday afternoon whether he really intended to rename the Strait of Hormuz after himself, Trump said: "No, no ... it was just thrown out there."
Trump floated the idea of renaming the strategic waterway earlier Wednesday, less than one week after he signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario "Lake America" amid escalating tensions with Canada over tariff disputes.
"Now that we have it under USA control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT???" Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
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Trump told a rally in Long Island last month that he would declare the strait a US territory, US media reported.
"After we finish defeating Iran – which is being very badly defeated – pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States," Trump said.
Iran: 18 killed in latest US strikes
Iran's Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi said on Wednesday that 18 people were killed and 108 others wounded in overnight strikes by the US against the country, according to a statement published on the website of the Iranian president's office.
In a separate statement, Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned in the strongest terms the latest US "acts of aggression" against the country, highlighting Iran's determination to "decisively" defend its independence, national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It said the US government on Tuesday night once again violated Iran's national sovereignty and territorial integrity and attacked several civilian places and service infrastructure, killing and wounding a number of Iranian citizens and damaging public and private properties.
Iran strategy 'to soon shatter US foundations'
A top Iranian security official vowed on Wednesday Iran's new strategy in the fields of war, diplomacy and economy will soon "shatter" the US foundations.
"Iran's new strategy on the battlefield as well as in the fields of diplomacy and countering the economic siege will shatter your (US) foundations," Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei posted on X, reacting to the deadly overnight US attacks.
NYT: Strain on US aircraft carriers
Iranian attacks "have upended the Navy's supply chain" in the Middle East, causing a strain on the aircraft carriers, destroyers and amphibious ships that are being kept in the region "indefinitely," The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
The US Navy has only 11 aircraft carriers in total, and has sent four of them to the Middle East for the war, the report said, noting that some of the remaining carriers are "undergoing lengthy repairs" in shipyards and will not be able to deploy again for years.
There are currently two carriers and 12 destroyers in the Middle East helping to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports, according to the report. The Navy has about 20 ships in the Middle East, carrying roughly 20,000 sailors and Marines. "The logistical challenges are immense," the report said.
Recent reports on the replacement of the USS Abraham Lincoln have highlighted the extraordinary strain the prolonged US-Iran war has placed on the aircraft carrier.
Guterres concerned over latest exchanges of fire
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is gravely concerned by the renewed exchanges of fire overnight between the US and Iran, his spokesperson said Wednesday.
"The secretary-general is deeply alarmed by reports of civilian casualties, including in a strike that reportedly hit a wedding ceremony in Iran," said spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
Guterres condemns all attacks against civilians. He recalls that all parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution, said the spokesman.
"The secretary-general reiterates his call for an immediate cessation of military action, and urges all concerned to exercise restraint and refrain from actions and rhetoric that could further escalate already high tensions," said Dujarric, noting that few countries in the region are immune from this escalation, with airspace and critical shipping routes continuing to be heavily impacted. "Further escalation ... would have devastating consequences for civilians and for the wider region and beyond."
Qatari PM reaffirms support for diplomatic solutions
Qatar on Wednesday reaffirmed the country's support for diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions and reaching a solution that ensures freedom of maritime navigation and paves the way for sustainable peace in the region.
Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani made the remarks during separate phone calls with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, according to statements issued by Qatar's Foreign Ministry.
The calls covered Qatar's cooperation with Türkiye, Egypt and Lebanon and ways to strengthen bilateral relations, as well as the latest regional developments, the ministry said.
The officials also reviewed ongoing diplomatic efforts and joint coordination aimed at de-escalating tensions and enhancing regional security and stability.
