Amr Alfiky | Reuters
The U.S. and Iran traded fire in the Strait of Hormuz, with each side claiming the other initiated the attack.
Despite the escalation, President Donald Trump insisted that the ceasefire remains in effect, saying the strikes are “just a love tap” during a call with an ABC News reporter later Thursday.
Trump later claimed in a subsequent Truth Social post that the U.S. “completely destroyed” the Iranians involved in the exchange, which he said included small boats and drones that “dropped ever so beautifully down to the Ocean, very much like a butterfly dropping to its grave!”
He reiterated that Iran will face further attacks if they do not agree to a nuclear deal.
“Just like we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!” Trump wrote.
South Korea’s Kospi dropped 1.88% while the small-cap Kosdaq was 0.56% higher. Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.62% amid some profit-taking after hitting a record high on Thursday.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.88%.
Hong Kong Hang Seng index futures were at 26,285, lower than the index’s last close of 26,626.28.
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