U.S. military officials on Saturday identified the six American airmen who died in a recent plane crash, as President Donald Trump commented on the ongoing tensions with Iran.
Trump said Iran has expressed interest in negotiating an end to the conflict in the Middle East, but he is not ready to agree to a deal yet because the current terms are “not good enough.” In an exclusive interview with NBC News, he said any agreement would have to be “very solid.”
Earlier that day, Trump also announced that several countries may send warships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping route that has become a major flashpoint in the conflict with Iran.
The statement came hours after U.S. forces launched airstrikes on military targets near Iran’s key oil facilities. Trump said nations such as China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom could join efforts to keep the strait open and prevent further disruption.
Meanwhile, Iran warned that it could target U.S. oil interests across the region if Washington attacks its energy infrastructure. On Friday, March 13, U.S. missiles struck Iranian air defense systems on Kharg Island, located about 15 miles off Iran’s coast. The island is a critical hub where roughly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports are processed. Trump described the strike as one of the most powerful bombing operations in the Middle East, claiming that U.S. forces destroyed all military targets on the island.
Although Trump has repeatedly said the war could end soon, U.S. military commanders are reportedly sending thousands more Marines to the region to strengthen their presence. Iran, however, has shown no sign of backing down. The country’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has vowed to keep blocking the waterway near Iran’s coast and promised retaliation for those killed in the conflict.
According to reports, more than 1,200 civilians have died in Iran since the fighting began, including many children who were reportedly killed during a U.S. strike that hit a girls’ school.