President Donald Trump pledged to strike Iran "very hard" during a meeting on Wednesday.
"We're gonna hit them very hard," the president told reporters. "I can actually say that because there's very little they can do about it. They've already apologized. But we've gotta smack them a little bit.
"In the meantime, we're going to be hitting them very hard," Trump continued. "Because it's our turn to hit them. They know what's coming. They're asking us not to do it."
The remarks came in response to a journalist's question regarding the conditions required for the US to pull out of the Middle East. The president has repeatedly pledged to bring the conflict to an end, yet a peace agreement has remained elusive.
In recent weeks, tensions between the two nations have flared once more, resulting in a series of retaliatory strikes, which Trump referenced on Wednesday afternoon.
On X, exasperated users hit back at Trump's latest threats, writing: "In almost 5 months, Trump hasn't learned this isn't working."
Last week, prior to leaving Washington to attend the dignified transfer of three US military personnel killed in the Middle East, Trump insisted that the American public stands firmly behind the war effort and understands the reasoning behind his approach. "Americans aren't against the war," Trump told reporters.
"A poll just came out. Americans don't want to have gasoline prices, but they're not against the war. That just came out loud and clear in a poll. Nobody wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon. You want Iran to have a nuclear weapon? You think it's good?"
On Tuesday, Trump held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Just hours earlier, Trump had vowed to devastate Iran if it failed to agree a deal soon.
"If they don't make a deal, then I go back, and I finish the job," the president told Fox News. "But that's going to take them forever to rebuild. Already, it'll take them many years to ever to rebuild."
The 80 year old US leader also reinforced earlier assertions that the US maintains control over the Strait of Hormuz, which has largely been blockaded by Iran since hostilities began.
On Wednesday, Trump was accompanied by Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby at the White House to make the announcement. Alterations to Dulles International Airport in Virginia have been expected for some time, particularly after reports emerged of Trump personally scrutinising designs for months.
The president requested that design and engineering firms competing for the airport redevelopment contract submit 3D models so that he could better visualise the proposals, according to CBS News. This resulted in substantial tabletop plans being transported to and from the White House for the president's consideration.
Previously, the president has described the airport as "terrible" and "incorrectly designed". Critics have similarly argued that the airport is long overdue a significant overhaul and modernisation.
The forthcoming renovation is expected to scrap the airport's mobile lounges, which the president has privately referred to as "crazy", according to CBS. The mobile lounges, or "people movers", have been a fixture at the airport since 1962.
The proposals also include a substantial terminal expansion, according to reports. The existing A, B, C and D gates are set to be replaced by linear concourses.
The C and D gates were originally built in 1985 as temporary terminals for United Airlines, yet have remained in place for over 40 years.
United Airlines is the biggest carrier operating at the airport, accounting for approximately 70 percent of all traffic.
