In the early hours of July 14, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in a post on X that it had begun a third consecutive night of strikes against targets in Iran.
CENTCOM stated: "As of 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time, U.S. forces, under the direction of the Commander-in-Chief, have begun their third consecutive night of operations against Iran. These strikes will continue to impose significant costs on Iranian forces and reduce their ability to attack innocent civilians and commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz."
Minutes before CENTCOM's announcement, President Donald Trump said in an interview with the Hugh Hewitt Podcast that the United States was preparing a new wave of heavy strikes against Iran.
Trump said: "Tonight and tomorrow night, we are going to hit them very hard, and there is nothing they can do about it."
The U.S. president described the previously signed memorandum of understanding as "a test" for the Iranian authorities, adding that they had "failed to respect it and did not abide by its terms."
Speaking about Iran's nuclear facilities, Trump said that the United States was closely monitoring them.
Referring to Mount Kolang, located near the Natanz nuclear site—where reports indicate underground nuclear facilities have been built—Trump said: "We are watching Mount Kolang, and we are seeing no activity there. They are not in a good position regarding their nuclear program. Every time we hear about something happening there, we blow it up. That's why they don't like talking about it. But we will probably strike Mount Kolang very soon."
According to reports, two underground nuclear complexes have been constructed beneath Mount Kolang near the damaged Natanz nuclear facility. Some experts believe these sites are located deep enough to remain beyond the reach of even the United States' largest bunker-buster bombs.
