United States President Donald Trump has threatened to order military strikes on Iranian infrastructure, declaring that the US would bomb a bridge or power plant every time Iran attacks a ship transiting the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, Trump warned that any attack by Iran on commercial or military vessels in the waterway would trigger an immediate US response.
“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 wrote.
The latest threat comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate following the collapse of an interim ceasefire agreement reached last month, as both countries have since intensified military actions, while competition for control and security of the Strait of Hormuz has heightened fears of a broader regional conflict.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime routes, with roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies passing through the narrow waterway.
Any disruption to shipping there has the potential to trigger sharp increases in global energy prices and disrupt international trade.
The renewed exchange of threats has further heightened concerns that the conflict could spiral into a wider confrontation, with potentially severe consequences for regional stability, global shipping, and energy markets.
Trump’s remarks come weeks after he vowed retaliation following claims that Iranian forces shot down a US Apache helicopter during a patrol over the Strait of Hormuz.
The ICIR reported in June that Trump announced his decision to retaliate after Iran allegedly shot down his country’s Apache helicopter while it was patrolling the Strait of Hormuz.
The US president said both pilots survived after the helicopter crashed near the coast of Oman and were later rescued by a US military drone.
He described the incident as an attack that required a response, raising fresh concerns that hostilities between the two countries could spiral into a broader conflict.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.