US President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned that the United States would launch strikes on Iranian infrastructure if Tehran attacked any vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz, escalating his rhetoric over one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said any future Iranian attack on ships transiting the strait would prompt immediate US military action against targets inside Iran, including facilities near the capital, 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 wrote.
He signed off the post by saying, “Thank you for your attention to this matter! President Donald J. Trump.”
The warning is among Trump’s clearest public statements linking any attack on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to direct US military retaliation against infrastructure inside Iran.
His message covered attacks carried out using missiles, rockets, drones or “any other device or weapon”. It also did not differentiate between US-flagged vessels and those of other countries, referring broadly to “a ship in the Strait of Hormuz”.
Trump said the United States would respond by striking “One Bridge Or Power Plant” for every such attack, adding that the targets could include facilities “located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran”.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, with a large share of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passing through it.
Any disruption in the waterway carries significant implications for global energy markets. For India, which imports a substantial share of its crude oil from the Gulf, any escalation in the region could drive up freight costs, fuel prices and pressure supply chains.
(With IANS inputs)
