BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 22. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Washington will respond to any Iranian attack on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz by targeting Iranian infrastructure.
Trump made the statement in a post on his Truth Social account.
"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.
Meanwhile, the latest escalation in U.S.-Iranian relations began on July 8. On that day, for the first time since the signing of the memorandum between Washington and Tehran, U.S. forces launched several waves of strikes on Iranian territory, allegedly in response to an attack on a merchant ship in the Strait of Hormuz. On the same day, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the end of the ceasefire with Iran. In response, Tehran began attacking U.S. facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Oman.
Relations between the United States and Iran remain deeply strained over Tehran's nuclear program, regional influence, sanctions and broader security issues. The two sides have engaged in intermittent indirect talks in recent years, but tensions have repeatedly flared. Washington continues to enforce extensive sanctions on Iran, while Tehran has criticized U.S. policy and called for their removal.
