‘Drop bombs again’: Trump warns of resuming airstrikes if Iran peace talks fail | WATCH

Washington: US President Donald Trump warned on Friday that the United States is prepared to resume aerial bombardments against Iran and maintain its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz if a permanent diplomatic resolution is not reached before the current ceasefire expires.

The president’s remarks followed an announcement from Tehran claiming the strategic waterway has been fully reopened to commercial shipping, though Iranian officials simultaneously threatened to shut the passage again in response to the American blockade of its ports.

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When questioned by reporters on Friday evening regarding his potential actions should negotiations fail by next week, Trump suggested he might allow the truce to lapse.

“I don’t know. Maybe I won’t extend it, but the blockade is going to remain," Trump said. "But maybe I won’t extend it, so you’ll have a blockade, and unfortunately, we’ll have to start dropping bombs again.”

Despite the stern rhetoric, the president expressed a degree of optimism while travelling aboard Air Force One back to the capital. “I think it’s going to happen,” he told the accompanying press, referring to the likelihood of a finalised agreement.

Uncertainty at Sea

Despite Tehran's public declaration that the strait—responsible for the transit of 20% of global oil supplies—is open, significant questions remained Saturday regarding the actual level of freedom granted to international vessels. Iranian leadership has maintained a firm grip on the waterway and continues to link its accessibility to the removal of U.S. sanctions on Iranian shipping.

The move to reopen the body of water occurred as a separate 10-day cessation of hostilities between the Israeli military and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon appeared to remain intact.

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The Human Toll

The conflict, which escalated sharply following U.S.-Israeli strikes in February, has resulted in a staggering loss of life across the region.

Casualty reports indicate that at least 3,000 people have been killed in Iran and nearly 2,300 in Lebanon. The violence has also claimed the lives of 23 individuals in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Defence has confirmed the deaths of 13 American service members since the commencement of the campaign.

With inputs from AP