US President Donald Trump has threatened to strike Iran 'very hard' following an attack on American military personnel in Jordan. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said, 'They’ve already apologized, but, you know, we got to smack them a little bit.'

'It’s our turn, and we’ll see if we get there with an agreement at some point. But we’re going to hit them very hard,' Trump added. The warning came as a lull in fighting appeared to end, dashing hopes of a return to negotiations.

On Wednesday, British maritime security firm Ambrey released an initial assessment stating that a drone had struck a US-owned gas storage tanker in the Egyptian port of Damietta. Egypt's Oil Ministry confirmed a fire at the port but did not mention a drone attack, saying the fire was dealt with immediately and there were no casualties.

It was not immediately clear who was responsible. If confirmed, a strike by Iran or its allies would mark a significant escalation of the conflict. Trump said he had been briefed on the incident.

On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia and the United States announced strikes on Iran-backed militants in Iraq, which Baghdad widely condemned. Saudi Arabia's direct involvement threatens to widen the already escalating conflict in the region.

Source: www.dw.com