Trump threatens infrastructure strikes as Strait of Hormuz conflict escalates
Military exchanges intensify with US strikes on Iranian targets and Iranian missiles intercepted over Jordan, while global markets react to the closure of the strategic waterway.
US President Donald Trump has issued a direct threat to destroy Iranian infrastructure, stating that the United States would bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant for every attack Tehran launches against shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The warning, posted on social media, coincides with an eleventh night of US strikes on Iranian targets and ongoing military exchanges that have further destabilised the region. The threat underscores a significant escalation in the conflict, with both sides increasingly targeting civilian infrastructure and diplomatic efforts remaining stalled.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi declared that the country would adopt an “eye for an eye” defence doctrine, asserting that any aggression would compel a powerful and decisive response. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf dismissed the US threats, arguing that the security of the strait is tied to the absence of American forces and that pre-war conditions would not return. Despite these hardline stances, Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni recently visited Pakistan, a key mediator, in an attempt to revive diplomacy, though outcomes remain unclear.
The military situation on the ground has intensified, with Jordan’s military intercepting four Iranian missiles and four drones over Aqaba. Two missiles fell in uninhabited areas, while smoke was visible in nearby Eilat, Israel. Alerts were also issued in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with residents in the Gulf city of Dammam told to seek shelter before the danger passed. The US military confirmed it had completed its eleventh night of strikes on Iranian targets, including aircraft hangars and drone storage sites.
The economic impact of the conflict has been severe, with Brent crude oil prices rising to over $93 a barrel, up from less than $72 earlier in the month. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy trade, has jolted the global economy. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated that the war has cost $37.5 billion so far, while Trump visited Dover Air Force Base to receive the remains of four US service members.
Diplomatic channels appear largely inactive, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemning Iran’s actions as a dangerous precedent for international waterways. Rubio stated that Iran does not appear serious about negotiations, leading the US to focus on protecting shipping and reimposing a blockade on Iranian ports. Meanwhile, Iran’s Health Ministry reported that US strikes over the past 11 days have killed 53 people, including six women and three children, and wounded nearly 600.
