US President Donald Trump has threatened further military action against Iran, warning that Washington could launch additional strikes amid continuing tensions over Tehran's nuclear programme and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, on October 13, where he was supporting Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, Trump issued a direct warning to Tehran.
"Wait and see what we do to Iran. We're going to hit them hard. Wait and see what we do to Iran, because we've had enough," he said.
The remarks followed a series of statements in which Trump appeared to leave open different possibilities for Washington's next steps.
He had previously indicated that further strikes would not take place before the November midterm elections. However, during an October 9 campaign rally in New York, he warned that the United States could "finish it off" if Iran failed to reach an agreement.
During Tuesday's rally, Trump also claimed that Iran's nuclear facilities remained buried beneath "thousands of tons of rock" and asserted that Tehran had been two weeks away from developing a nuclear weapon. He accused former President Barack Obama of failing to stop Iran's nuclear programme.
"They were the bullies of the Middle East, but they are the bullies of the Middle East no longer," Trump said, adding, "It's going to end very soon."
The renewed warnings come as Iran reportedly seeks to increase pressure on Washington by disrupting maritime traffic and keeping global energy prices elevated ahead of the US midterm elections.
Two senior Iranian officials told Reuters that Tehran had begun employing new tactics against vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway that handled approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade before the conflict.
According to the officials, Iran has sought to restrict passage through the strait since US and Israeli strikes against the country began on February 28.
One official said the new approach had been introduced approximately 10 days earlier and involved changes in both the type and frequency of attacks against vessels Iran considered to be violating its restrictions.
"The aim is to frustrate efforts by the United States and its allies to bring down global oil prices," one of the officials said.
Both officials claimed that the strategy had been approved at the highest levels of Iran's leadership and coordinated across the country's governing institutions.
Although some vessels continue to transit the strait, threats and attacks have significantly reduced shipping traffic, contributing to higher global oil prices.