US President Donald Trump has defended his decision to resume military operations against Iran, accusing Tehran of abandoning a negotiated agreement before launching attacks that prompted a renewed American response.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, Trump said his administration had offered Iran an opportunity to reach a diplomatic settlement but claimed the Iranian government rejected the deal and initiated hostilities.
“I gave them a chance. I wanted to give them a chance at making a deal. We had a deal two days ago; I was done, and then all of a sudden they couldn’t do it. They didn’t like something about the deal—they couldn’t do it, and they shot first, and that was a big mistake, because we have been knocking the hell out of them,” Trump said.
The president maintained that the United States acted in good faith by pursuing diplomacy before returning to military action. He argued that Iran’s decision to abandon the agreement and launch attacks left Washington with little choice but to respond.
According to the report, US forces have continued strikes on Iranian targets and are preparing to reimpose a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping route through which a significant share of global oil supplies passes.
Earlier, Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson reported that US warplanes carried out another round of strikes against Iran on Trump’s orders, marking the sixth such operation within a week. He also said additional naval and air assets had been deployed as Washington intensified efforts to counter Iran’s military capabilities and protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest military actions come amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, with both countries accusing each other of undermining regional stability.
Trump said the renewed hostilities were triggered by Iran’s actions, insisting his administration had first sought a diplomatic resolution before authorising military operations.
