President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will retaliate by destroying Iranian bridges or power plants if Iran attacks any vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump said every missile, rocket, drone, or other weapon fired by Iran at ships using the strategic waterway would trigger a direct strike on key infrastructure inside the country.
The warning comes as the conflict continues to escalate, with no clear diplomatic breakthrough in sight. The prolonged fighting has unsettled global markets, pushed oil prices higher, and raised concerns over its economic impact ahead of the U.S. midterm elections later this year.
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the crisis. The narrow passage is one of the world’s most important energy routes, carrying about one-fifth of globally traded oil and gas during normal operations. Iranian attacks have significantly disrupted maritime traffic through the area.
The United States launched another round of overnight airstrikes on Iranian targets into Wednesday, while Iranian air defence systems were activated over Tehran. Iran also fired missiles toward Jordan, prompting interceptions near the southern city of Aqaba, close to Israel’s border. Security alerts were also issued in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
As military operations intensify, both sides have increasingly targeted civilian infrastructure. Iran has responded to U.S. attacks by striking energy facilities and desalination plants in Gulf states, affecting critical services such as electricity and drinking water.
International humanitarian law generally prohibits attacks on civilian infrastructure unless those facilities are being used for military purposes. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has described such actions as unacceptable.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted global energy supplies, driving oil prices upward and creating uncertainty in international markets. The situation has become more concerning after Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen threatened to target commercial shipping in the Red Sea, another vital trade route.
In his latest message, Trump declared that the U.S. would respond forcefully to any future Iranian attack on commercial shipping.
Meanwhile, Trump was scheduled to travel to Dover Air Force Base to receive the remains of four American service members. During a Senate hearing on Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated that Washington had already spent about $37.5 billion on the ongoing conflict.
Brent crude oil climbed to around $94 per barrel, while gasoline prices also continued to increase.
Jordan’s military said it intercepted four Iranian missiles over Aqaba, while two others landed in uninhabited areas. Authorities also reported shooting down four Iranian drones.
Videos shared online showed smoke rising over the area, which is located near Israel’s southern city of Eilat.
Although Iran has largely avoided direct attacks on Israel since hostilities resumed, the strike near Aqaba has heightened fears that the conflict could spread further across the region.
Fresh missile alerts were also issued in Bahrain, while Saudi Arabia advised residents in the Gulf city of Dammam to seek shelter before later announcing that the immediate threat had ended.
The U.S. military confirmed it had completed an 11th consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military facilities, including aircraft shelters and drone storage locations.
Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, reported explosions in several provinces. According to Iran’s Health Ministry, the latest U.S. strikes have killed 53 people, including women and children, and injured nearly 600 others.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said its retaliatory operations would continue.
Despite ongoing military operations, diplomatic contacts have not completely stopped.
Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni travelled to Pakistan, which has been involved in mediation efforts, although there was no indication that any significant progress had been made.
Iranian Interior Ministry spokesman Ali Zeinivand said diplomatic communication was still continuing, even as fighting persisted.
Speaking at a regional summit in the Philippines, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Iran of attempting to control an international shipping route through force.
He warned that allowing any country to dictate access to a major global waterway would create a dangerous precedent that could affect other regions around the world.
The United States has also reinstated a blockade on Iranian ports in response to Tehran’s actions.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump dismissed the prospect of immediate negotiations, saying Washington had no interest in holding talks at this stage.
He also suggested that the U.S. could target Pickaxe Mountain, an underground nuclear facility under construction near Iran’s Natanz enrichment complex.
The site survived previous U.S. strikes carried out during the 2025 Iran-Israel conflict and is believed to remain under development.
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is intended solely for peaceful purposes. However, the United States and several Western governments argue that Tehran’s continued enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels raises concerns that it could eventually revive a nuclear weapons programme.
Source: The Telegraph
