WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to order strikes on Iranian bridges and power plants if Iran attacks commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, marking a further escalation in Washington's rhetoric as tensions with Tehran remain high.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the United States would "bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant" in Iran, including facilities near the capital, Tehran, each time Iran fired at a ship in the strategic waterway using missiles, rockets, drones or other weapons.
The statement followed renewed hostilities after an interim ceasefire between the United States and Iran broke down, with both sides accusing each other of actions that have heightened instability around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy shipments.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said separately that Washington remained open to a negotiated solution but that Iran had not demonstrated it was prepared to engage seriously in diplomacy. He said protecting freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remained a U.S. priority.
Iranian authorities did not immediately respond publicly to Trump's latest warning. Reuters could not independently verify any immediate operational changes by either side following the president's remarks.
Trump's threat drew criticism from some international law experts, who argued that attacks on civilian infrastructure could conflict with international humanitarian law. The White House did not immediately comment beyond the president's public statement.
The situation remained fluid on Wednesday, with no indication that either side had announced new negotiations or changes to military operations at the time of publication.
