President Trump threatens Iran with strikes on bridges, power plants for every ship attack

President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a new policy of retaliation against Iran, stating that any attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz would result in the bombing of Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants in or near Tehran.

“From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT, including those located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran,'” Trump said.

The announcement coincided with the president’s visit to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for the dignified transfer of four American service members killed in recent attacks.

“They’re gonna pay a big price,” Trump said. “They’re being decimated.”

Three of the soldiers were killed in an Iranian attack on an air base in Jordan, including 28-year-old Sgt. Angel Rampersad of New York, who was initially listed as missing. A fourth soldier was killed in Iraq during the controlled detonation of a downed drone.

“All of them said very strongly, we can’t let — you cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. They won’t have a nuclear weapon, so we’re going to honor them. And it’s one of the hardest things to do for me. It’s one of the hardest things to do as a president,” Trump said.

Democrats criticized the president’s actions, with Rep. Jimmy Panetta of California saying, “This is something where what is demonstrated is a lack of strategy and therefore he’s relied on what he knows best, which is bombing and bribing.”

Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico added, “My reaction to the president’s illegal and unjustified war in Iran is that it needs to stop.”

The president also met with the families of the fallen service members during his visit.

Concerns are also growing over potential disruptions to another major shipping route, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as Houthi forces in Yemen, allies of Iran, have threatened to cut off the Saudi ships from the vital passage. Such disruptions could force Saudi oil shipments onto longer routes around Africa, increasing shipping costs and putting upward pressure on oil prices.

Additionally, a newly reported 30-year civilian nuclear agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia is drawing attention. The deal, which would require congressional review, could allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium on its own soil, raising questions amid the ongoing U.S. conflict with Iran over its nuclear program.

Since the war with Iran began, 18 U.S. service members have died, 10 of them in hostile action. According to data, this is the highest number of hostile-action deaths in a single year since 2021, when 13 service members were killed during the Kabul airport attack. The number of wounded has also risen, with 447 U.S. service members injured since the conflict began.

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