President Donald Trump on Thursday said that the United States would hit Iran "a lot harder" if Tehran doesn't agree to a deal soon, following an exchange of fire in the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military said that its forces responded to Iranian attacks while three destroyers were transiting the waterway with "with self-defense strikes," despite a ceasefire.
The Iranian military confirmed attacks on US warships and, in turn, blamed US attacks on an Iranian oil tanker.
In comments to US broadcaster ABC News, Trump said that the ceasefire, which has been in place for around a month, "is going. It's in effect," calling the US strikes a "love tap."
Meanwhile on his Truth Social platform, Trump said that the US destroyers "transited, very successfully, out of the Strait of Hormuz, under fire" and that they did not sustain any damage, while "great damage [was] done to the Iranian attackers."
The president went on to say that "just like we knocked them out again today, we'll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don't get their Deal signed, FAST!"
Trump has voiced optimism that a deal with Iran could be reached soon, with his administration awaiting Tehran's response to a 14-point proposal to end the war.
Iran said earlier on Thursday it is still reviewing the text and will deliver its reply via mediator Pakistan.
