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Iran war live: Trump says US could still ‘smack’ Iran ‘to see what happens’

US president threatens Iran after Tehran’s retaliatory strikes on ‘US targets’ in Jordan, saying ‘we’re going to hit them hard’.

US President Donald Trump looks on during an announcement on Healthcare Affordability in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 31, 2026.
US President Donald Trump sits in the Oval Office of the White House on August 31, 2026 in Washington, DC, the United States [AFP]
By Hala Al Shami, Mariamne Everett and Daniel Khalili-Tari
Published On 31 Aug 2026

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  • US President Donald Trump says that the Strait of Hormuz is in “extremely good shape”, while Iran’s economy, military and leadership have been largely deteriorated, and adds that “it doesn’t mean we won’t smack them to see what happens”.
  • Iran says it has attacked United States bases in Jordan and US military targets at the Al Menhad airbase in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after US forces bombed two rocket launchers on Iran’s Larak Island.