Trump vows to hit Iranian bridge or power plant each time Tehran strikes ships in Strait of Hormuz

Key Points:

• The US military has conducted 12 consecutive nights of strikes against Iranian military targets to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial vessels in regional waters, following escalating tensions and threats exchanged between the two countries.
• President Donald Trump has vowed to bomb and destroy one Iranian bridge or power plant each time Iran targets ships in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran has warned it will retaliate by striking infrastructure across the region, including US interests.
• The Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and announced a naval blockade on Saudi shipping, causing some vessels to turn back from the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a critical oil chokepoint.
• Food prices in Iran have surged dramatically, with some staples increasing by over 300%, attributed to the ongoing conflict with the US and recent regional wars, causing significant public concern and high inflation in key provinces near the Strait of Hormuz.
• President Trump attended the dignified transfer of four US service members killed in the Iran conflict, describing it as one of the hardest parts of his job, and pledged that Iran will pay a heavy price for attacks that killed US troops in Jordan and Iraq.