Iran threatens to strike US interests across Middle East after Trump vows to destroy bridges, power plants for each Hormuz attack

Trump's ultimatum

On 22 July 2026, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that from now on, every time Iran attacks a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the United States will bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant, including those next to or inside the capital Tehran. He said the US does not need the Strait but will not allow Iran to have nuclear weapons. Speaking in Georgia, he added that Iran is "not ready to make a deal. They will be ready very soon."

From here on out, every time the Islamic Republic of Iran attacks a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether by missile, rocket, drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant, including those next to or inside the capital Tehran.

Iran's counter-threats

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on X that any attack on Iran or its infrastructure would trigger a "strong and decisive response." He said Iran's defense doctrine is "an eye for an eye," and that anyone assisting an attack, in any form, would also be considered a legitimate target. IRGC Air Force Commander Majid Mousavi warned that Iran would cut electricity to US regional allies if its bridges or power plants were struck. Chief negotiator Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X that no one would be able to sell oil in a region where Iran cannot, and that either the whole region is free of war or all countries will be drawn in. He added that the security of the Strait of Hormuz depends on the absence of US forces.

Our defense doctrine is clear: an eye for an eye. Any attack, including on our infrastructure, will impose a strong and decisive response.

Strait of Hormuz control

A military source told the semi-official Tasnim news agency that Iran has an "iron will" to exercise sovereignty over the Strait and will never again allow it to become a threat. Ships may pass peacefully only if their transit is coordinated with Iranian authorities and complies with Tehran's regulations. Otherwise, Iran will continue to control the waterway, which it says is necessary for its long-term national security.

Larak Island strike

Tasnim reported that a US missile struck Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz at 14:48 local time (13:48 Greece time). Residents heard a loud explosion near the island, and authorities are assessing the scale of the attack and possible damage. The strike came amid the escalating rhetoric.

Nuclear denial and military resilience

Iran again denied any secret underground nuclear facility at Kolang mountain, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei calling Washington's focus a pretext for aggression. He said all nuclear activities are fully declared to the IAEA. Trump had said the US is ready to strike Kolang "probably very soon," and that Iranians "can't do anything" to stop it. Armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi told Press TV that missile and drone production never halted, and that the US has failed to locate dispersed manufacturing units. A CIA estimate from May indicated Iran still holds 70% of its pre-war missile stockpile. Shekarchi noted the cost asymmetry: Iranian drones are extremely cheap to produce, while intercepting them is expensive for the US.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is in a new phase of deterrence. The idea of achieving a low-cost strike against Iran is a miscalculation that could have consequences extending far beyond the military arena, into energy markets and the global economy.

Casualties and economic asymmetry

At least 53 people have been killed in Iran from US strikes since 6 July, according to the Iranian Health Ministry. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told 25 European ambassadors in Tehran that during the 40-day war, Iran inflicted a "heavy defeat" on the attackers, and that in this new round it will defend decisively.