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Donald Trump unleashed an overwhelming new threat to Iran last night after shutting off the Strait of Hormuz to Iranian ships once again.
Speaking to US media after several nights of strikes on the Islamic Republic, Mr Trump warned: "We're going to hit them very hard tonight and we're going to hit them hard tomorrow - and there's not a damn thing they can do about it.
"They have nothing. They have nothing going other than they have big mouths... I got to know them, and they're stone cold crazy," he told Salem News.
He added: "These people are crazy... To them, deals are made to be broken. They are extremely unreliable people - and, frankly, if they ever had a nuclear weapon they'd use it within one day."
The Commander-in-Chief later confirmed to reporters the US was attacking Iran's "capabilities related to the Strait of Hormuz".
And in an extraordinary revelation, he added that there may be Iranian drones lurking in Cuba.
"If they do have that, and they might very well have that, we'll take care of it," he said.
"We're not going to have a problem. We're not going to allow that to happen so it could be that they are storing some. We're looking into it now."
Mr Trump formally told lawmakers this weekend that the US was once again at war with Iran.
That gives his administration another 60-day period to use the military in the Middle East without the need for congressional approval.
In a letter to Congress on July 10, obtained by Politico, the President said the strikes which began on July 7 represent "military action consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States' interests both at home and abroad".
And on Monday, the US restarted its blockade of Iranian ships through the vital Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump has reimposes Iran blockade through the Strait of Hormuz
|GETTY
Mr Trump then called himself "the guardian of the Hormuz Strait" on social media - and claimed any ships which pass through the waterway will have to pay the US a percentage of the value of the cargo being shipped.
"The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran," he said.
"The USA will be, from this point forward, known as 'THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,' but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20 per cent on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the world.
Then, overnight, American forces launched volleys of strikes at Iran, and revealed that 50,000 US troops were active in the Middle East.
The States targeted coastal defence systems, and missile, drone and maritirme sites across the country.
In response, Iranian missiles targeted a US air base in Jordan - with the Islamic Republic urging Jordanians to dismantle American bases in their country.
LATEST FROM THE WHITE HOUSE:
Donald Trump downplayed reports of the assassination threat, saying 'Israel came up with nothing' | GETTY"You know very well that not only do we not have any enmity with your country, but we also love you, the noble people, who understand the pain and oppression of the Palestinian people more than any other nation," a statement from the newly-proscibed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps raged.
The US President revealed just days ago there are contingency plans in place should he be assassinated by Iran.
Israel first revealed the intelligence that Mr Trump's life may be at threat, however later he confirmed to reporters that the threat was not as immediate as first feared.
"Israel came up with nothing," he said. "I've been on their list for a long time. That’s what we're dealing with."
The President said he told military chiefs to bomb Iran at "levels they've never seen before" if there was a successful attempt on his life.
He told The New York Times: "I've left instructions - if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they've never seen before.
Details of the plot were not immediately clear, and two sources familiar with the matter said the US had not yet vetted it, according to US outlet CNN.
It was thought the report had been used as a tactic to sway Mr Trump following his end to the ceasefire last week.
US Central Command launched a third round of strikes against Iran at 12.39am on Sunday morning
|CENTCOM VIA REUTERS
PICTURED: Smoke rises following an attack on a target at an unknown location after Centcom announced strikes were underway against Iran
|CENTCOM VIA REUTERS
He wrote on Truth Social over the weekend: "1,000 Missiles are locked and loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!
"Orders have already been given, and the US Military is ready, willing, and able, for a one-year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran - PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!"
US Central Command (Centcom) released a statement announcing a third round of strikes against Iran at 12.39am on Sunday morning.
On Saturday, Iran said the strait was closed "until further notice" after a commercial vessel "jeopardised maritime security" by traversing the waterway through an unapproved route.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it struck the ship which took an "unauthorised route" after it disregarded warnings to correct course.
Centcom identified the vessel as the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship.
"A civilian crew member is missing and the vessel is unable to continue the journey due to an onboard fire and significant engine room damage," the US military command said on social media.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said: "Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay."
The US said Tehran had failed to "demonstrate adherence" to the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU).