Trump threatens Iran infrastructure strikes as Strait of Hormuz tensions rise

Donald Trump threatened to strike Iranian power plants and bridges unless Tehran came to the table and negotiated, pushing the confrontation with Iran beyond the Strait of Hormuz and into targets inside the country. He warned it would get “really bad” next week if Iran did not make a deal.

Trump also reversed course on a proposed 20% fee on cargo ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, saying he would instead pursue trade and investment deals with Gulf states after “highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership.” The strait normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas trade, making any threat there an immediate market issue. The U.N. shipping agency opposed fees on vessels moving through maritime waterways but wanted more details.

The shipping lane remained under strain as the U.S. restarted a blockade on Iranian ports and launched additional strikes. Iran has not ruled out charging its own tolls on ships using the waterway, while shippers in Asia and Europe said it could take weeks to rebuild confidence in normal transit. BIMCO warned that passage remained highly risky because mines were still a concern.

Qatar, Pakistan and other regional mediators were trying to revive negotiations on a nuclear deal, and a June framework agreement was expected to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. That earlier deal helped push global oil prices down about 5%, but the relief did not last. Iranian officials reported seven military personnel killed in a missile attack near Iranshahr and more than 260 wounded in the latest overnight U.S. strikes, while Jordan intercepted three ballistic missiles fired from Iran. CENTCOM struck dozens of Iranian targets over seven hours, including missile, drone and coastal defense sites.