The U.S. military launched its 12th night of strikes against Iran on Wednesday, as President Donald Trump threatened to destroy a bridge or power plant for every ship targeted by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation follows the collapse of a recent Memorandum of Understanding and rising tensions over international shipping lanes.
The conflict has shifted into a high-stakes battle for control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy artery through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and gas passed during peacetime. Central Command stated the latest strikes aim to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial vessels and restore the flow of international shipping.
Trump’s Civilian Infrastructure Doctrine
President Donald Trump has introduced a specific, tit-for-tat retaliatory policy targeting Iranian infrastructure. In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump declared that any time Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz via Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon
, the U.S. will destroy one bridge or power plant.
Truthout reports that Trump specifically mentioned targeting infrastructure located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran
. This marks a continuation of a pattern of aggressive rhetoric; on April 5, Trump had previously promised that a Tuesday would be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped in one, in Iran
.
Trump recently vowed to bomb Kolang Mountain, also known as Pickaxe Mountain, where the U.S. and Israel claim Iran stores nuclear material, stating, We’ll be hitting that area very probably pretty soon
.
Iran’s “Eye for an Eye” Response
Tehran has signaled it will not be deterred by the threat of infrastructure loss. Iran’s foreign minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, announced on X that his country is adopting an eye for an eye
defense doctrine. Araghchi warned that Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response
.
The retaliatory strategy has already manifested in attacks on neighboring Gulf countries.
Iranian state media reported U.S. missiles striking locations near the cities of Andimeshk, Ramshir, and Ahvaz in western Iran late Wednesday.
The Economic Toll and the $37.5 Billion War
The financial and economic impact of the conflict is becoming a central political issue in the U.S. ahead of the fall midterm elections. During a Senate hearing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth estimated that the United States has spent $37.5 billion on the war to date.
The volatility of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a sharp spike in global energy prices. Benchmark Brent crude oil rose to more than $93 a barrel in trading, a significant increase from the sub-$72 levels seen early this month before the war began. Gasoline prices are climbing accordingly.
The instability is further compounded by a new threat from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen to target Saudi shipping in the Red Sea, potentially creating a second major trade chokepoint failure.
Stalled Diplomacy and the MOU Collapse
The current escalation follows the deterioration of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed upon by both sides last month. While Trump initially praised the MOU as having achieved everything the administration set out to accomplish, the agreement has since fallen apart.
Recent attempts to revive diplomacy appear fragile. Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni recently visited Pakistan, a key mediator, to seek a way forward.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, has remained defiant, stating that the situation in the strait will not return to prewar conditions
. Tehran maintains it has the right to manage traffic and charge fees in the waterway, which was toll-free before the hostilities.
Regional Spillover and Military Escalation
The conflict is no longer confined to U.S.-Iran direct strikes. Jordan’s military recently intercepted four Iranian drones and four missiles over Aqaba, with two missiles falling in uninhabited areas. These strikes were visible from the Israeli city of Eilat, raising fears that the conflict will widen.
- Kuwait: Military officials reported air defenses confronting attacks by
hostile drones
following Iranian aggression. - Saudi Arabia: Authorities warned residents of Dammam to seek shelter following a missile alert, though they later stated the danger had passed.
- Bahrain: Missile alerts were issued as the conflict intensified.
The U.S. position remains focused on the precedent of waterway control. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned at a summit in the Philippines that allowing a nation-state to control an international waterway and charge tolls would create a very dangerous precedent
that could repeat globally.
As the U.S. continues its night-strike campaign, the primary uncertainty remains whether the “eye for an eye” doctrine will lead to the targeted destruction of the very power plants and bridges Trump has threatened, or if a new diplomatic arrangement can be brokered via Pakistan before the economic disruption becomes untenable.
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