US President Donald Trump don threaten to strike Iran‘s bridges and power plants next week if the country no return to talks. The comments wey come from Fox News interview, as the two countries exchange fire for fourth day.
Trump earlier reverse threat of 20% fee on all Strait of Hormuz cargo shipping but resume blockading Iranian ports. “Next week it get really bad for them,” Trump talk. “We go knock out all their power plants. We go knock out all their bridges unless them get to the table and negotiate.”
Back in April, Trump threaten to bomb civilian infrastructure for Iran, including bridges and power plants. UN human rights chief Volker Türk respond at that time: “Under international law, deliberately attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure na war crime.” The 1949 Geneva Conventions on humanitarian conduct for war prohibit attacks on sites wey essential for civilians.
“I go save the energy targets for last, but ultimately we go hit energy targets,” Trump talk for interview on Special Report with Bret Baier wey air on Tuesday night. He talk say US negotiators don convey to their Iranian counterparts on Tuesday evening say them “better make a deal, or you no go get anything left.”
The escalation for rhetoric come after Trump say a 20% toll wey he threaten to impose for Strait of Hormuz go be replaced by “massive” trade and investment deals with Gulf states. The announcement come hours before US military carry out seven-hour wave of strikes on Iran and resume blockade of its ports.
US Central Command (Centcom) say e hit “dozens” of Iranian military targets near Strait of Hormuz, with aim to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews.” At least seven Iranian military personnel die for US strikes on a base for southeastern city of Bampur, Iran army talk on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Tehran fire missiles and drones on US targets for Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, Iranian state-run television IRIB report. For early hours of Wednesday, Kuwait military say e dey intercept Iranian attack drones, while Bahrain military say e don “succeed for intercept and destroy” aerial attacks.
The US also say Iran don “intentionally target civilians” for the region by attacking seven commercial ships, wey result for “nearly a dozen civilian crew members killed, missing, or injured,” the commander of Centcom talk for statement late on Tuesday. United Arab Emirates (UAE) say on Monday night say Iranian cruise missiles target two national tankers, kill Indian crew member and wound eight others, four seriously.
Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later confirm the strikes via statement to Telegram, where e say two tankers don ignore warnings, turn off navigation systems and attempt to pass through mined route. E no clear which other attacks the Centcom statement dey refer to. The IRGC no immediately comment.
Separately, Indian sailor wey disappear after him ship attack off coast of Oman last week, him family confirm on Wednesday say e don die. The other 23 crew members aboard the Cypriot-flagged GFS Galaxy rescue after the vessel disable on Sunday. Centcom accuse IRGC of launching the attack, but Tehran still no respond.
Renewed strikes between US and Iran trigger sharp rise for oil prices as tanker traffic through the Strait don virtually stall. E underscore the strategic importance of the waterway – with Iran accuse US of interfering for its management of Hormuz – but controlling am mean say Tehran fit also threaten the global economy.
On Monday, Trump declare say US now be the “guardian” of Strait of Hormuz, and vow to impose 20% charge on all cargo ship through the waterway to pay for protecting am. Raising the stakes further, Trump say US go also reimpose its naval blockade on Iran to further squeeze the country struggling economy.
For him latest post on Truth Social, Trump write: “I don decide to replace the 20% United States Reimbursement Fee with Trade and Investment Deals that the various Gulf States go be making into the United States. Those Investments go be MASSIVE but, at the same time, extraordinarily good for them, and their future.” The US president no provide further details.
He also talk say the strait “dey open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran” and say “oil dey flow like never before, thanks to the awesome Power of the United States Military.” Speaking later, after talks for Washington with new Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, Trump talk: “I no like the concept of a fee, but at the same time, e no fair say we dey protect this Strait for the entire world.” He talk say he don change him initial fee plan after receive numerous calls from Gulf leaders.
For response to Trump announcement, Iran talk say e go remain for control of Strait of Hormuz. Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi say Trump blockade decision “don, for a way, dismantle” an earlier agreed truce deal, the AFP news agency report. Gharibabadi also tell state television, as Reuters news agency quote am: “If the US think say by tightening its measures against us, its military actions and its economic blockade, we go return to negotiations, e dey make a mistake.”
The US first impose naval blockade of all Iranian ports for April to put pressure on Tehran. Roughly five weeks later, US military say e don redirect 100 commercial vessels and disable four under the blockade. The US lift the blockade for June as part of a deal – known as memorandum of understanding – between the two countries wey aim to end the conflict, but dispute over the strait don become key point of contention.
Meanwhile, shipping data show say traffic through the strait don slow to two-month low. The benchmark Brent Crude oil price don also rise sharply.
