By Taiwo Scholarstica
United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to target Iranian civil infrastructure whenever Tehran attacks ships passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump issued the warning in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying the US would respond by striking critical infrastructure in Iran.
“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,” he wrote on his Truth Social network.
He said the threatened targets would include Iranian facilities “located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran.”
Trump made the statement shortly before travelling to an airbase to attend the return of the remains of three American troops killed in Iranian attacks on US military installations in the Gulf.
The President said he was travelling to the base to pay tribute to the fallen troops.
Trump said he was going to “honor our heroes and they’re indeed great heroes.”
“All of them said, very strongly, that we can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon, so we’re going to honor them… For me it’s one of the hardest things to do as president but it has to be done.”
The US President also rejected opinion polls indicating that the conflict with Iran was unpopular among American voters ahead of the November midterm elections.
The conflict has contributed to higher oil prices and increased pressure on the cost of living, while the US government has reportedly spent $37.5 billion on the war.
“Americans don’t want high gasoline prices but they’re not against the war, that just came out loud and clear,” he said.
The United States has intensified its military campaign against Iran following the collapse of a preliminary ceasefire agreement amid continued fighting over the Strait of Hormuz.
According to reports, the US has carried out 11 consecutive days of attacks on Iranian targets, while Tehran has responded with strikes on American military facilities across the Gulf.
The US military said a dignified transfer ceremony held on Wednesday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware honoured two service members killed during an Iranian attack on a military base in Jordan and another who died during a controlled detonation of a drone in Iraq.
A third US service member remains missing following the attack in Jordan.
Trump has vowed to retaliate for the deaths of American troops “many times over” and has continued to threaten attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure.
The number of American military deaths recorded since the beginning of the conflict has risen to 18.
Trump also repeated threats made on Tuesday to attack what he described as a secret Iranian nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain.
Iran has denied that the facility exists, referring to the location as Kolang mountain.