U.S. President Donald Trump stated  that his country intends to escalate and intensify its airstrikes against Iranian targets as the regional conflict widens.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump said that “the United States is ready to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” noting that he is prepared to escort ships through the strait if necessary. He added that Washington will strike Iran “hard” during the coming week.

Earlier in the day, Trump said that Iran had been pursuing strategic plans to establish full control over the Middle East, adding that the U.S. administration had largely succeeded in undermining those ambitions.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a series of airstrikes on targets inside Iran, including the capital, Tehran, causing significant damage and civilian casualties, in addition to the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several commanders of the Revolutionary Guard and the army.

Iran responded to the "American-Israeli" attack, leading to widespread repercussions across the region, affecting Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.