Trump warns US will “hit Iran hard” raising fears of return to all out war BBC News

President Trump has said the US will hit Iran "hard", after the two sides exchanged further strikes.

"We hit them hard yesterday and we're going to hit them hard again today," he said, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office.

Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian said in a post on X following Trump's briefing that Iran "will stand firm against any pressure or threat".

US Central Command said that forces had begun launching strikes against "multiple targets" in Iran, stating that the strikes were "in response to Iran's unwarranted and continued aggression".

The US launched the new round of strikes on Iran after Trump said Iran had brought down a US Army helicopter.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it responded with attacks on US bases in the region.

Trump reiterated a call for Iran to "sign a deal" during his briefing on Wednesday, while US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters later that day that bombs would be "dropping on key facilities in Iran".

Sophie Raworth presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Tom Bateman.

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