Trump Threatens Iranian Infrastructure Strikes Over Hormuz Attacks

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that American forces will destroy "one bridge or power plant" in Iran every time Tehran fires at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the targets would include locations next to or within the capital city of Tehran. "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, including those located next to, or in, the capital city of Tehran," Trump said.

This comes after the US carried out another wave of strikes on Iran, where air defences opened fire over Tehran. Iran also launched a missile attack on the Jordanian city of Aqaba, on Israel's doorstep, while alerts were issued in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The 11th night of American airstrikes on Iran came as diplomatic efforts showed little public sign of progress. Officials on both sides have dug in over their dispute surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for global energy that remains largely closed because of Iranian attacks.

Iran has avoided striking Israel since hostilities resumed last month, apparently hoping to keep it from re-entering the war. However, the missile and drone attack on Jordan's city of Aqaba, within sight of Israel's Eilat, raised concerns about a further widening of the conflict after an agreement to halt hostilities collapsed. The closure of the strait, through which one-fifth of the world's traded oil and gas passed during peacetime, has jolted the global economy, with effects reaching far beyond the Middle East.

A new threat by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen to target Saudi shipping in the Red Sea has put another major trade chokepoint at risk. Benchmark Brent crude oil rose to around $94 a barrel in trading, while gasoline prices are once again climbing ahead of the US midterm elections this fall.