US President Donald Trump suggested on Thursday that Washington may carry out further strikes on Iran, claiming the US has "knocked the hell out of them."
"This should have been done a long time ago by other presidents, the Iran war, and we've knocked the hell out of them, and we may do it a little bit further," Trump told reporters at the White House before departing for a campaign rally in Iowa.
Asked about public reaction to the war, Trump said: "Well, in one way they love it because I'm doing what should have been done by other presidents. In another way, maybe they don't."
"There's a price to pay, which I knew immediately when I did it. But we can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon," he added.
On Wednesday, Trump said Washington is not negotiating with Iran and that "something one way or the other" will happen "fairly soon."
The New York Times reported that the US and Israeli militaries have developed plans for renewed strikes on Iran after the US midterm elections, though it said it is far from certain Trump will approve them.
The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Tehran to respond with missile and drone attacks in the region and effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies.
A memorandum of understanding was signed in June to pave way for a final peace deal but it collapsed amid disagreements, including over navigation in the strait.
