US, Iran trade strikes as Trump issues stark warning
Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst reports from Tel Aviv as tensions intensify following an exchange of strikes between the United States and Iran. Retired Navy Capt. Brent Sadler weighs in on U.S. Central Command operations targeting Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz, launched after Iranian forces fired eight ballistic missiles at American military bases in Jordan.
Several U.S. embassies across the Middle East issued alerts to American citizens Tuesday, warning of the “potential for unforeseen escalation” as U.S. Central Command carried out new strikes against Iran.
Nearly identical advisories posted by the U.S. embassies in Jerusalem, Jordan and Qatar urged caution, stating, “Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise caution and heightened vigilance and should be prepared for flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures, and potential travel disruptions.”
The security alerts were issued as CENTCOM announced that its forces “began striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran” at about 12 p.m. ET.
CENTCOM said the action came in response to mounting threats in the region. “The strikes follow recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed to the region,” the command added.
An armed member of Iran’s police special forces adjusts a flag during a pro-government rally in downtown Tehran on Jan. 12, 2026. (NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Trump addressed the U.S. military response Tuesday on Truth Social, writing, “The strikes are large and powerful, and in retaliation for the Iranians’ failed attempt at adding sea mines to the Strait, which currently has no mines (They have been completely removed or detonated!), and the Iranians shooting eight missiles, all successfully knocked down, at our Military Base in Jordan.”
He followed with a further warning to Tehran: “If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not be the biggest attack of them all, that is waiting in the wings and, when it is over, there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran!”
U.S. strikes over the weekend targeted two Iranian rocket launchers on an island in the Strait of Hormuz, the first such strikes in a month.
Iranian forces were preparing to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the strait when U.S. forces targeted Larak Island, U.S. Central Command said.
In response, Iran launched eight ballistic missiles targeting U.S. bases in Jordan.
Soldiers parade during National Army Day on April 18, 2025, in Tehran, Iran. (Getty Images)
The embassies also said Tuesday, “Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation.
“U.S. diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted. Iran and groups supportive of Iran may target other U.S. interests overseas or at locations associated with the United States and Americans throughout the world, including U.S. businesses and other institutions,” it continued.
U.S. Navy E/A 18G electronic-warfare aircraft patrol the skies over the Middle East as the U.S. military is enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports, according to CENTCOM. (CENTCOM)
“The situation in the Middle East remains fluid,” the message also said. “The Iranian regime is unpredictable, as seen by its recent decisions to attack areas in the region without warning or provocations as well as to expand attacks to areas not previously targeted (such as Egypt). Americans should remain vigilant, as merely because U.S. interests or businesses have not been attacked in a country in the past does not ensure their safety.”
