Trump cautions US will probably strike Iran tonight after MoU ends

"I'll give a little warning: We're going to hit them hard tonight," Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in Turkey before his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

US President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (not pictured) alongside the NATO leaders summit at the Bestepe Presidential Compound, joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026.

(photo credit: REUTERS/JONATHAN ERNST)

ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

JULY 8, 2026 16:05

Updated: JULY 8, 2026 17:05

US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he would probably strike Iran that evening during a press conference after the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

"I'll give a little warning: We're going to hit them hard tonight," Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in Turkey before his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump later noted that the Iranian regime has been killing soldiers and people for 47 years, adding that the US therefore has a score to settle.

"We may just do it without a deal," he also added, and said that he is not sure the deal will stick.

Additionally, Trump hinted at the possibility of reinstating the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. "Everyone will be able to cross outside of them [Iran]. And they might try to throw some mines, which will be hard because we destroyed their boats," he said.

Trump also pointed out that the US military knocked out 28 boats last night and will probably knock out more boats tonight.

"Lots of people say that they are really dishonorable people, that they can't keep the deal, but we will have to see," Trump added.

"Maybe, tonight's attack will knock out a lot of stuff," Trump claimed, then told US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to brief reporters on the targets.

"There were a lot of small aircraft that they were trying to harass shipping with, a hundred ground facilities where they were storing drones and missiles, coastal defense sites, radar sites, surveillance sites, and anything they thought they could use to harass shipping in the Strait of Hormuz," Hegseth explained.

Trump concluded the press conference saying that, if the US has to do it, it will take out electricity and water plants, but that he does not want to do it. "We might also take over Kharg Island," he added.

Trump says MoU is over

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump said that he thought the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran is over, while also stating that he felt the US had wasted a lot of time negotiating with Iran, and he did not wish to continue talks.

"I don't want to deal with them [Iran] anymore. They're scum. They're sick people," he added.

On Tuesday night, US forces began a series of powerful strikes against Iran to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

In response, Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) confirmed it targeted US military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait in response to the US strikes in southern Iran that targeted air defense systems, coastal surveillance, and missile and drone launch sites.

Reuters, Jonah Davidov and Shir Perets contributed to this report.