Trump vows to hit an Iranian bridge or power plant for every ship Iran attacks
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Add Axios on Google President Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
President Trump threatened Wednesday to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant, including in Tehran, each time Iran attacks a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
Why it matters: Trump sent the new threat as he considers both a ceasefire and a significant military escalation. His key condition for a ceasefire is for Iran to stop its attacks on ships and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Driving the news: U.S. Central Command said Iran has attacked more than 30 commercial vessels over the past three months.
What he's saying: "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 on Truth Social.
Between the lines: The U.S. has already bombed bridges in southern Iran over the last 11 days of fighting. Targeting power plants and striking Tehran would mark another escalation.
State of play: Regional sources said Qatari mediators are still trying to reach a deal that will stop the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz .
Iran's response: Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf , Iranian speaker of Parliament and chief negotiator, wrote on X that the Strait of Hormuz "will not return to its pre-war status".
Editor's note: This is breaking news and will be updated.
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