On Tuesday, July 21st, 2026, US President Donald Trump stated that the United States was "not finished" attacking Iran amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. Trump warned that if the US were to leave immediately, it would take Iran 20 to 25 years to rebuild from the damage inflicted during the ongoing war. This announcement came two weeks after fighting resumed between the longstanding adversaries.

The conflict has widened with Tehran launching strikes on Gulf states, including Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. Bahrain reported intercepting Iranian attacks amid repeated sirens, while Kuwait and Jordan said they had intercepted drone and missile strikes. Kuwait also reported that Tehran targeted power and water desalination plants over several days, forcing residents to ration energy.

The Iranian army claimed it targeted US assets in Kuwait and Bahrain, including air defense systems, radar installations, and administrative buildings. Meanwhile, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatened to blockade Saudi Arabia's ports, escalating tensions further.

Following the deaths of at least three US soldiers in recent days, Washington launched new attacks against Iran on Monday, designed to further degrade Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a White House meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Trump pledged support for efforts to disarm Hezbollah and advance peace with Israel.

On the ground in Iran, civilians like Shahin, a 34-year-old embroiderer from Iranshahr, expressed hardship, saying, "We're still struggling to secure our most basic life necessities, and now we're dealing with destruction from the war on top of it."

Notable Quotes

  • "If we left right now, it would take Iran 20, 25 years to rebuild," said Trump.
  • "We're not finished at all... we're not leaving right now," Trump added.
  • The Iranian military warned, "With this radar sweep, the enemy should prepare for even more decisive and powerful waves of drone and missile attacks."
  • Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatened to blockade Saudi ports.

Contradictions

Sources mention different numbers related to Iran: 20 years, 34 years (age of a civilian quoted), and a 2022 truce threatened by renewed Saudi-Houthi clashes.

Sources: France 24 English