US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a stern warning to Iran, stating that the United States would bomb and destroy one Iranian bridge or power plant for every instance Tehran fires at ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. This threat, conveyed via his Truth Social network, specified that targets could include facilities located "next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran."
Trump's declaration came shortly before he attended a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover airbase for the remains of three US troops. Two service members were killed in an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan, and one died during a controlled detonation of a drone in Iraq. A third service member from the Jordan attack remains missing.
Escalating Tensions and Global Economic Impact
The US leader vowed to "honor our heroes" and reiterated his stance against Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. He dismissed polls suggesting the Iran war is unpopular with US voters ahead of midterm elections in November, despite rising oil prices contributing to a spike in the cost of living.
The conflict has already cost Washington $37.5 billion. Trump asserted that "Americans don’t want high gasoline prices but they’re not against the war," a sentiment he claimed was now clear.
Hostilities have intensified since a preliminary ceasefire deal collapsed, with the United States carrying out 11 straight days of attacks on the Islamic Republic. Iran has retaliated by firing at US military facilities in the Gulf, and air defenses were activated over Tehran during a recent wave of American strikes.
Iran also launched a missile attack on the Jordanian city of Aqaba, near Israel’s Eilat, raising concerns about a broader regional conflict. Alerts were subsequently issued in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas passed during peacetime, remains largely closed due to Iranian attacks. This disruption has jolted the global economy, with effects extending far beyond the Middle East.
Further complicating global trade, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have threatened to target Saudi shipping in the Red Sea, risking another vital trade chokepoint. In response to the escalating tensions, benchmark Brent crude oil rose to approximately $94 a barrel, and gasoline prices are once again climbing ahead of the US midterm elections this fall.
Trump also reiterated previous threats to strike what he referred to as a secret Iranian nuclear complex, "Pickaxe Mountain," which Iran denies exists, calling it Kolang mountain.
