On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning that the United States would bomb and destroy one Iranian bridge or power plant for every attack on shipping vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. This announcement came amid ongoing conflict that has already cost Washington approximately US$37.5 billion, according to Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for global oil and gas shipments, has seen increased tensions after the collapse of a preliminary deal between the US and Iran. Tehran has reinstated its blockade and has fired upon vessels attempting to transit the strait.

Trump reiterated his longstanding threat on social media, stating, "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."

Earlier, Trump indicated that the next US target might be an underground complex called Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz, suspected by Western intelligence to be an undeclared nuclear enrichment site.

Christopher Long, from the maritime security firm Neptune P2P Group, reported that a similar warning message had been recorded by a vessel in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a chokepoint at the southern tip of the Red Sea leading to the Suez Canal. This region has also experienced attacks on shipping by Yemeni rebels since the Gaza war began in October 2023, prompting a US bombing campaign.

Following the latest threats, several vessels reportedly reversed course before entering waters off Yemen, although nearly 30 ships still crossed the Bab al-Mandab Strait the day after the blockade announcement, according to the shipping tracking site Kpler.

Despite the conflict's high cost and political pressure to end it, Trump expressed openness to resolving the situation through negotiation but noted that Iran does not currently appear serious about such efforts.

A photo from July 21, 2026, shows a billboard of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, underscoring the ongoing tensions between the two nations.

Sources