President Donald Trump has warned Iran that its bridges and power infrastructure could become military targets if Tehran refuses to return to negotiations, as fighting between the two countries intensifies and tensions in the Gulf continue to disrupt global shipping and energy markets.
President Donald Trump has escalated pressure on Iran, warning that the United States could launch attacks on the country’s bridges and power plants within days unless Tehran agrees to restart negotiations.
Speaking during an interview with Fox News, Trump said the situation would worsen for Iran if diplomatic efforts failed, insisting that the country must return to the negotiating table or face further military action.
“Next week it gets really bad for them,” Trump said. “We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.”
The remarks came as the United States and Iran exchanged military strikes for a fourth consecutive day, deepening fears that the confrontation could expand into a wider regional conflict.
Trump’s latest warning echoes comments he made earlier this year when he suggested that civilian infrastructure in Iran, including bridges and electricity facilities, could be targeted. Those remarks drew criticism from international legal experts and human rights groups.
Following similar threats in April, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that intentionally targeting civilian infrastructure could violate international humanitarian law. The Geneva Conventions prohibit deliberate attacks on facilities essential to civilian life unless they are being used for military purposes.
While Trump indicated that energy facilities would not be the first targets, he suggested they remained under consideration if negotiations collapsed.
“I’ll save the energy targets for last, but ultimately we’ll hit energy targets,” he said during the interview.
According to Trump, American officials also delivered a direct message to Iranian negotiators on Tuesday evening, warning that Iran had little time left to strike a deal.
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The warning followed another shift in Washington’s approach to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest oil shipping routes.
Earlier this week, Trump abandoned plans to impose a proposed 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway. Instead, he said Gulf nations would increase trade and investment in the United States, describing the expected investments as “massive.”
Despite dropping the shipping fee proposal, the US resumed a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports while continuing military operations in the region.
US Central Command said its forces carried out a series of strikes lasting several hours against Iranian military facilities near the Strait of Hormuz. The military said the operation targeted missile positions, military infrastructure and other sites believed to threaten commercial shipping.
Iranian officials reported that at least seven military personnel were killed during strikes on a base near the southeastern city of Bampur.
Iran responded by launching missiles and drones toward US military facilities in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, according to Iranian state media. Authorities in Kuwait and Bahrain later said their air defence systems intercepted several incoming drones and aerial threats before they reached their targets.
The fighting follows attacks on commercial vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz, where several ships have been damaged over the past week. Washington has blamed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for targeting civilian shipping, accusing Tehran of endangering international trade and regional security.
Iran has defended its actions, saying some vessels ignored security instructions and attempted to travel through restricted routes after disabling their navigation systems.
The renewed conflict has rattled global energy markets. Oil prices climbed sharply as shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed significantly, raising concerns about possible disruptions to one of the world’s most important energy supply routes.
Trump has also declared that the United States is now acting as the “guardian” of the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that American military forces are protecting international shipping while preventing further attacks.
Iran, however, rejected Washington’s position. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi accused the US of undermining previous agreements aimed at reducing tensions and insisted that increased military and economic pressure would not force Tehran back into negotiations.
“If the US thinks that by tightening its measures against us, its military actions and its economic blockade, we will return to negotiations, it is making a mistake,” he said.
With both countries maintaining hardline positions and military operations continuing across the Gulf, hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough remain uncertain, while governments and energy markets closely watch whether the latest threats will push the crisis toward negotiations or a broader conflict.
