Iran issues chilling warning as Trump rushes troops to the Middle East

An oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz (Image: AP)

Iran has issued a chilling warning to open a new front in the war with the US in response to Donald Trump's plans to send thousands of US troops to the Gulf. Tehran vowed to surprise any "aggressor" by escalating elsewhere if the US or Israel launches land incursions into Iranian territory or naval operations in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman.

A senior Iranian military source told state-aligned Tasnim news agency: “If the Americans want to think of a solution for the Strait of Hormuz with stupid measures, they should be careful not to add another strait to their problems and predicaments.” The Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical chokepoint at the southern end of the Red Sea, was singled out as a potential new theatre where Iran claims it has both the will and capability to pose a “completely credible threat”.

US President Donald Trump (Image: Getty)

The defiant statement came hours after Iran publicly dismissed prospects of direct talks with Washington despite acknowledging it is reviewing a US 15-point ceasefire proposal conveyed through Pakistani intermediaries.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told state television: “Message exchanges do not mean negotiations with the US. No negotiations have happened with the enemy until now, and we do not plan on any.”

Tehran has instead issued its own sweeping counter-demands, including an immediate halt to the killing of Iranian officials, guarantees that no future war will be waged against it, payment of reparations for damage inflicted, a full end to hostilities, and formal recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump struck a markedly more optimistic tone on Wednesday night, telling a Republican fundraiser: “Iranian leaders are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly.” He claimed Tehran’s public rejection stemmed from fear of domestic reprisal or US military action.

However, some Republicans are increasingly uneasy at his belligerence, fearing a prolonged conflict. Nevertheless, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned: “If Iran fails to accept its military defeat, President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before.”

On the battlefield, US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper reported: “American forces have struck more than 10,000 targets inside Iran since the start of Operation Epic Fury.”

US and Israeli operations have destroyed 92% of Iran’s largest naval vessels and damaged or destroyed two-thirds of its missile, drone and naval production facilities and shipyards. Iranian drone and missile launch rates have fallen by more than 90%, yet Tehran continues to fire barrages at Israel and launch drones towards Gulf Arab states.

Pentagon sources confirmed plans to send thousands of airborne troops to the region to bolster two contingents of Marines already en route aboard amphibious assault ships. This deployment reportedly includes roughly 2,500 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division, adding to the growing US footprint.

Donald Trump claims the US is holding talks with Iran

The reinforcements provide Mr Trump with additional options, including the possibility of ground operations, even as fighting shows little sign of abating. Israel conducted fresh waves of strikes on Wednesday, targeting Iranian ship construction and submarine facilities, while heavy attacks were reported around Isfahan, home to major air bases and nuclear-related sites.

Iranian media described strikes hitting residential areas in Tehran. The conflict, now approaching its fourth week, has claimed more than 1,500 lives in Iran, nearly 1,100 in Lebanon, 20 in Israel and 13 among US service members, with millions displaced across the region.

On Thursday morning, air raid sirens sounded across central Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, as fresh Iranian missiles were launched following a 14-hour lull. Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE, reported intercepting incoming Iranian drones and missiles.

Economically, the war continues to ripple globally. Brent crude rose 1.5% to nearly $99 a barrel on Thursday, while Asian shares mostly declined amid uncertainty over de-escalation.

Iran’s parliament is advancing a bill to formalise the collection of fees from vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz — a move described by experts as operating a de facto “toll booth” regime, with some payments reportedly settled in Chinese yuan. An Emirati oil executive labelled Iran’s chokehold on the waterway “economic terrorism”.

Israel has expressed scepticism that Tehran will accept the US terms, voicing concern that American negotiators might offer undue concessions. Israeli officials insist: “Any deal must preserve the Jewish state’s right to conduct pre-emptive strikes.”

With both sides entrenched in maximalist positions — Washington demanding nuclear rollback, missile curbs and severed proxy funding, while Tehran demands reparations and sovereignty guarantees — diplomats see a swift ceasefire as elusive.

Iran’s explicit threats to open surprise new fronts, coupled with the accelerating US military build-up in the Gulf, signal that the dangerous escalation cycle risks widening further before any off-ramp is found.