Key facts
- President Donald Trump threatened to bomb an Iranian bridge or power plant if Iran targets ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Trump stated the U.S. will bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant if Iran uses any device or weapon against a ship.
- He also warned of U.S. military strikes on Pickaxe Mountain, an underground Iranian site suspected of housing covert nuclear operations.
- Iran's joint military command warned of a powerful response targeting infrastructure if Trump's threat is carried out.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned that the United States will bomb an Iranian bridge or power plant whenever the Islamic Republic fires at a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, amid growing concerns over a potential return to full-scale war between the two countries. Trump made the remarks in a social media post after he threatened last week to "knock out" Iran's power plants and bridges unless Tehran returns to the negotiating table to negotiate an end to the Middle East conflict. "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," he wrote on Truth Social. During a press availability on Tuesday, Trump claimed that Iran "desperately" wants to meet with U.S. negotiators for nuclear talks, calling on Tehran to engage in dialogue "in a meaningful way." He also warned that the U.S. military will conduct strikes on Pickaxe Mountain -- an underground Iranian site suspected of housing Tehran's covert nuclear operations -- "pretty soon and very heavily." Iran's joint military command warned of a powerful response, targeting oil, gas, and economic infrastructure if Trump's threat is carried out.