Trump says US strikes on Iran were retaliation for attack on ships

TEHRAN, Iran — President Donald Trump said U.S. strikes on Iran were carried out in retaliation for Tehran's attack on vessels a day earlier, warning that any repeat would draw a far stronger response. "This is a response to Iran hitting ships yesterday; if it happens again, the situation will be far worse," Trump said in a statement, adding that he believed Iran had placed him at the top of its target list. The president also said Iran struck three vessels, not two, and pledged that any future attack would be met with a far more forceful U.S. response. He did not identify the ships or their owners, and provided no additional details on casualties or damage. The U.S. military said it carried out additional strikes on Iran on Wednesday, with the stated objective of degrading Iran's ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. No further operational details were immediately available.