U.S. President Donald Trump threatened additional strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub and urged allies to ship warships to safe the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran vowed to step up its response and the conflict confirmed no signal on Sunday of coming to an finish.
Mr. Trump stated the U.S. strikes had “completely demolished” most of Kharg Island and warned that extra might observe, telling NBC Information, “We might hit it just a few extra occasions only for enjoyable.” Whereas he stated Tehran appeared able to make a deal to finish the battle, he added that “the phrases aren’t ok but.”
The feedback marked an escalation in rhetoric from the president, who had beforehand stated the U.S. focused solely army websites on Kharg. In addition they undercut diplomatic efforts, with three sources conversant in the scenario telling Reuters that Trump’s administration had already rebuffed efforts by Center Japanese allies to begin negotiations geared toward ending the conflict.
Tehran’s skill to cease delivery by means of the Strait of Hormuz, a serious channel for oil and fuel, poses a tough downside for the U.S. and its allies. Power costs are hovering as the conflict causes the biggest-ever disruption in oil provide.
Additionally Learn | Trump urges different nations to ship ships to safe Strait of Hormuz
“The Nations of the World that obtain Oil by means of the Hormuz Strait should care for that passage, and we’ll assist — A LOT!” Mr. Trump wrote in a social media publish on Saturday (March 14). “The U.S. may also coordinate with these Nations in order that every thing goes rapidly, easily, and properly.” Because the battle stretched into its third week, either side gave the impression to be digging in for an prolonged combat.
Iran projected defiance, rejecting the opportunity of any ceasefire till U.S. and Israeli airstrikes finish.
Iranian forces have stored up their strikes. A drone assault disrupted a serious United Arab Emirates power hub on Saturday (March 14), and the U.S. warned U.S. residents to go away Iraq after a missile assault on the Embassy in Baghdad in a single day Friday (March 13).
Since Israel and the USA started air assaults on Iran on February 28, the conflict has killed greater than 2,000 individuals, largely in Iran, in accordance with reviews from governments and state media.
A minimum of 15 had been killed when an airstrike hit a fridge and heater manufacturing unit within the central Iranian metropolis of Isfahan, the semi-official Fars information company stated on Saturday. Iran referred to as on civilians within the UAE to evacuate ports, docks and “American hideouts,” saying U.S. forces had focused Iran from these areas. The UAE denied that strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island in a single day Friday had come from its territory.
Calling any facility related to the USA a “professional goal,” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps urged all U.S. industries to maneuver out of the area. Oil market disruptions appeared unlikely to finish quickly. Some oil-loading operations had been suspended within the UAE’s Fujairah emirate, a worldwide ship-refueling hub, after a drone assault, trade and commerce sources stated on Saturday.
The emirate’s media workplace stated a drone was intercepted, however civil defence forces as of late Saturday had been nonetheless making an attempt to place out a fireplace attributable to falling particles.
‘Bombing the hell out of the shorline’
Mr. Trump was spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the place he stored a comparatively low public profile on Saturday (March 14, 2026), except for his NBC interview and a number of other posts on his Fact Social account.
In a single publish, the Republican President wrote that he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would ship warships to the Strait of Hormuz. None of these nations gave any speedy indication they’d achieve this. French officers stated on Friday (March 13) their authorities was pushing on with efforts to assemble a coalition to safe the Strait of Hormuz as soon as the safety scenario stabilizes.
A British Ministry of Defence spokesperson stated on Saturday: “As we’ve stated beforehand, we’re at the moment discussing with our allies and companions a variety of choices to make sure the safety of delivery within the area.”
Supreme Chief Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who changed his slain father, has stated the Strait of Hormuz ought to stay closed.
Individually, Iranian International Minister Abbas Araqchi dismissed hypothesis from U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that Khamenei was wounded and sure disfigured. “There isn’t any downside with the brand new supreme chief. He despatched his message yesterday, and he will carry out his duties,” Mr. Araqchi advised MS Now.
Mr. Khamenei has not appeared in public, as a substitute issuing a press release on Thursday (March 12) learn by a tv presenter.
Kharg island harm
Iran performed down the extent of the harm on Kharg Island. The U.S. stated it had focused army, not power trade, targets on the island, which is about 15 miles (24 km) off Iran’s shoreline within the Gulf. U.S. Central Command stated it hit greater than 90 websites on Kharg, together with naval mine storage amenities, missile storage bunkers and different army targets.
Mr. Araqchi stated Iran would reply to any assault on its power amenities. Iran’s Ministry of Defence stated on Saturday (March 14) that 9 ballistic missiles and 33 drones had been launched from Iran in direction of the UAE.
Iran warned residents to go away areas close to Jebel Ali port in Dubai, Khalifa port in Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s Fujairah port and stated it was focusing on branches of U.S. banks within the Gulf.
Mr. Fujairah, outdoors the Strait of Hormuz, is the outlet for about 1 million barrels per day of the UAE’s Murban crude oil — a quantity equal to about 1% of world demand.
Printed – March 15, 2026 10:53 am IST