Trump warns US will destroy Iranian bridges, power plants in retaliation for Strait of Hormuz attacks
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran attacks a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating threats against civilian infrastructure amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump wrote: “From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT.” The warning came as the war, now in its eleventh month, shows no signs of de-escalation.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy supplies, remains largely closed due to Iranian attacks. Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure, despite international law generally prohibiting such attacks unless the infrastructure is used for military purposes. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has described such attacks as “unacceptable.”
Iran has responded to U.S. strikes by targeting energy infrastructure and desalination plants in neighboring Gulf countries. The U.S. military confirmed another wave of strikes on Iran overnight, targeting aircraft hangars and drone storage sites. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported explosions across several provinces, and the Health Ministry says U.S. strikes over the past 11 days have killed 53 people, including six women and three children, and wounded nearly 600.
The conflict has also spread beyond Iran’s borders. Iran launched a missile attack on the Jordanian city of Aqaba, near Israel’s Eilat, raising fears of a wider war. Jordan intercepted four missiles, but two fell in uninhabited areas. Alerts were also issued in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with Saudi authorities warning residents of Dammam to take shelter.
The economic costs of the war are mounting. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas passed during peacetime, has driven up fuel prices. Brent crude oil rose to around $94 a barrel, and gasoline prices are climbing again. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated that the United States has spent $37.5 billion on the war so far.
Diplomatic efforts have shown little progress. Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni visited Pakistan, a key mediator, in an attempt to revive negotiations, but no new arrangements have emerged. The conflict has increasingly become a battle for control over the Strait of Hormuz.
The situation remains volatile, with both sides digging in. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has insisted that its retaliatory attacks will continue, while the U.S. shows no sign of backing down. The threat to civilian infrastructure raises serious concerns under international humanitarian law.
