Voice of Urdu – International News in English & Urdu

Trump warns US will bomb Iranian bridges and power plants over Hormuz — AI-generated representative image: Cargo vessels navigate the Strait of Hormuz amid rising US-Iran tensions over military threats to bridges and power plants.

Editorial Team

Iranian military source says Tehran would retaliate by targeting energy facilities linked to American interests

President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will bomb one bridge or power plant in Iran, including in Tehran, each time Iranian forces attack a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. The warning, issued Wednesday on social media, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Washington and Tehran. An Iranian military source, cited by the semiofficial Tasnim news agency, responded that Iran would retaliate by targeting energy facilities in which the United States has interests if its infrastructure is attacked.

The threat, if carried out, would represent a major intensification of hostilities that have already spread across the region over the past 12 days. The conflict restarted after a memorandum of understanding meant to end the war collapsed over disagreements about control of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a significant portion of the world's oil supply passes. The standoff has already pushed US petrol prices above USD 4 per gallon.

Key Developments

Trump's statement, posted on social media, read: "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."

An Iranian military source told Tasnim that Tehran would respond in kind. "If the Americans target a bridge or power plant in Iran, Iran will reciprocate by hitting infrastructures and bridges in the region, including energy facilities in which the United States has interests," the source said. The source added that passage through the Strait of Hormuz remains safe for ships but must be coordinated with Iran.

Iranian attacks this month have killed at least four US service members in Jordan and Iraq. Late Tuesday, the Pentagon identified 28-year-old Angel Rampersad as the third fatality of an Iranian missile strike in Jordan. Rampersad had been missing immediately after the attack.

Background of the Conflict

The US and Iran have been exchanging attacks for 12 days after a memorandum of understanding intended to end the war derailed over the status of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran claims sovereignty over the waterway, arguing the MoU grants it authority to manage the strait. The Trump administration insists the Hormuz must return to its pre-war status as an international free passageway. Hostilities resumed after ships crossing the strait on the Omani side without coordinating with Iran were targeted.

Trump has previously threatened to bomb Iran's bridges and power stations and has gone as far as threatening to wipe out the country's civilisation. However, Wednesday's statement is more specific than his earlier threats. The US military has been striking military targets in Iran as well as civilian ports and bridges, killing dozens, while Tehran has retaliated with missile and rocket barrages on bases housing US troops across the region.

Official Statements and Impact

Trump said Iran will "pay a big price" for killing US troops. "They're getting decimated," he said as he departed for Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where he was set to attend the dignified transfer of the bodies of fallen service members on Wednesday. The renewed conflict has sent oil prices soaring after a brief reprieve during the ceasefire. The average price of one gallon (3.4 litres) of petrol in the US has surpassed USD 4, after dropping to around USD 3.80 from a high of USD 4.50 during the truce.

What Lies Ahead

The situation remains highly volatile, with both sides issuing explicit threats of reciprocal strikes on infrastructure. Trump has set a new policy linking any Iranian attack on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz directly to US bombardment of civilian infrastructure inside Iran. Iran has made clear it would respond in kind. Additional information on diplomatic efforts or further military movements is awaited.