The latest
President Donald Trump has set a new rule for escalation with Iran, pledging to strike a bridge or power plant whenever Iranian forces target a ship in the Strait of Hormuz with a missile, drone or any other weapon.
Trump said the target list could include infrastructure inside Tehran or near the Iranian capital. The threat followed the 11th consecutive night of U.S. strikes as the two sides intensified their attacks and moved closer to a return to full-scale conflict.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said military operations would continue until Tehran became serious about negotiations. Washington still prefers an agreement, he said, but will not stand by while ships or Americans are attacked and will work to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten global shipping.
Details
- Potential targets: Trump’s declared policy covers bridges and power plants, including infrastructure near the Iranian capital.
- Nuclear site: Trump renewed his threat to strike the heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain facility in central Iran.
- Campaign focus: U.S. strikes have targeted missile and drone launch sites, coastal surveillance facilities and logistics hubs linked to attacks in Hormuz.
- Naval blockade: The United States reimposed its blockade of Iranian ports, redirecting eight vessels and disabling another commercial ship.
- U.S. position: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington has controlled shipping traffic through the strait for some time.
- Energy markets: Brent crude rose 3.4% to $94.10 a barrel as the risk of a wider confrontation increased.
Between the lines
Trump’s threat shifts the campaign from targeting military capabilities linked to the strait toward a declared retaliatory formula that could hit civilian infrastructure inside Iran. Any new maritime attack could now automatically trigger a broader round of escalation.
What to watch
The first test will be whether Washington applies the rule after the next attack on a ship—and whether Iran retaliates against infrastructure belonging to U.S. allies. Attention will also turn to any expansion of the campaign against Pickaxe Mountain or facilities near Tehran.
