Huge explosions rock Tehran after Trump’s conflicting claims over ending war

Huge explosions rocked Tehran overnight as the US and Israel launched another round of strikes on Iran, after Donald Trump made conflicting claims over when the war would end.

Smoke billowed high over western Tehran in the early hours of Tuesday morning, shortly after Trump threatened Iran with “death, fire and fury” if it disrupts traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu echoed his threats, saying late on Monday that the military was “breaking their bones” but is “not done yet” with its blitz of Iran.

Amid growing concern that the US is heading into another long war in the Middle East, Trump had earlier stressed that this was a “short-term excursion” that would finish “very soon”. He said the war was “very complete, pretty much”.

Rescuers work in the rubble of residential buildings after air strikes in the Resalat neighbourhood of Tehran on Monday. Reuters

The benchmark price of oil dipped slightly after Trump’s reassurances, but remained well above pre-war levels as Iran upheld its blockade of the vital Strait.

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi signalled that Iran was no closer to backing down under US-Israeli pressure, telling PBS: “We are well prepared to continue attacking them with our missiles as long as needed and as long as it takes.”

The Independent