Trump Threatens Iran With Strikes on Power Stations or Bridges for Any Attack on Ships in Strait of Hormuz

On Wednesday afternoon, U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his warnings against Iran, declaring that the United States will retaliate against any attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz by targeting Iranian bridges or power stations, including those near or within Tehran. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that any missile, rocket, drone, or other weapon fired by Iran at ships in the strategic waterway would prompt a U.S. strike on critical infrastructure.

Iran quickly responded through the Tasnim news agency, quoting a Revolutionary Guards military source who vowed retaliation against U.S. infrastructure and bridges if Washington attacks Iranian targets. The source emphasized Iran's firm resolve to maintain sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any U.S. gamble would lead to Trump's humiliation.

Following his threat, Trump flew to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to attend a ceremony receiving the remains of four American soldiers recently killed in Iranian attacks. These include three killed in a missile strike on a Jordanian airbase and one killed by a drone explosion in Iraq, bringing the total U.S. military deaths in the conflict to 17. Trump promised Iran would pay a heavy price for these attacks and claimed that Americans do not oppose the war despite rising fuel costs.

The announcement comes amid ongoing U.S. airstrikes on Iran, now in their 11th consecutive night, aimed at degrading Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit route. Trump also threatened to strike Iran's underground nuclear site at Mount Karkas, where Israeli intelligence reports indicate Iran has moved thousands of centrifuges and highly enriched uranium.

Meanwhile, Iran continues missile and drone attacks on Gulf countries, including a recent missile attack on Jordan, where several missiles were intercepted near Aqaba, close to Israel's Eilat. Jordan has become a key target in the current escalation, prompting the European Aviation Safety Agency to advise airlines to avoid Jordanian airspace. Alarm sirens also sounded in eastern Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

Iranian military spokesman Abu al-Fadl Shakarji asserted that missile production has continued unabated during the conflict. The escalation has shattered a recent U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding on the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran now claims as sovereign territory and demands payment from passing ships. The U.S. rejects this claim, insisting the strait is an international waterway.

Diplomatic efforts continue, with Pakistan recently sending Iran's interior minister as a mediator. However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visiting the Philippines, criticized Iran for lacking seriousness in talks and warned that conceding to Iran's demands would set a dangerous precedent encouraging other countries to demand payments for passage through international waterways.