Trump Warns of Fresh Strikes on Iran’s Power Plants, Bridges if Talks Fail
United States President Donald Trump has threatened to intensify military operations against Iran by targeting the country’s power plants and bridges if Tehran refuses to return to the negotiating table.
Speaking during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump said the next phase of military action would focus on critical infrastructure unless Iran agrees to a new deal.
“Next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges,” Trump said, warning that the United States would continue its campaign if diplomatic efforts failed.
His latest remarks came as U.S. forces carried out a fourth consecutive day of strikes against Iranian targets and maintained a naval blockade around Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategic shipping routes for oil and gas exports.
According to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the strikes were aimed at weakening Iran’s ability to carry out attacks on commercial vessels operating in the strait.
Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including the port city of Bandar Abbas and the Gulf island of Qeshm, following the latest military operations.
In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched attacks on facilities linked to the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, including what it described as command, logistics, fuel and military equipment sites.
Regional tensions also spread beyond Iran, with reports of attacks affecting Bahrain and Kuwait. Jordan’s military said its air defence systems intercepted three ballistic missiles that entered its airspace, while Iranian media claimed drones had targeted a military base in Jordan used by American forces.
The IRGC warned that any attempt by Washington to restrict Iran’s access to regional shipping lanes could trigger wider disruptions to energy exports, insisting that oil and gas routes in the region would either remain open to all or to none.
Trump also reversed an earlier proposal that would have required ships using the Strait of Hormuz to pay a 20 per cent security fee to the United States.
He said the decision followed discussions with leaders from Gulf Arab countries, adding that Washington would instead pursue investment and trade agreements while continuing its blockade of Iranian ports.
The renewed exchange of military strikes has further weakened hopes of a lasting ceasefire between both countries.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi criticised the continued U.S. blockade, saying it had undermined previous diplomatic understandings aimed at reducing tensions.
Asked how long the military campaign would continue, Trump said the strikes would persist until he was satisfied, reiterating that further attacks on Iran’s infrastructure remained an option if negotiations did not resume.
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