US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States military will strike Iran's civilian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, each time Tehran's forces fire at a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump wrote: "From this point forward, 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, including those located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran."
The statement is more specific than previous threats, in which Trump had said the US would bomb Iran's bridges and power stations, going as far as threatening to wipe out the country's civilization.
Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency cited a military source as saying Tehran would retaliate in kind if its infrastructure is attacked. "If the Americans target a bridge or power plant in Iran, Iran will reciprocate by hitting infrastructures and bridges in the region, including energy facilities in which the United States has interests," the source said.
The US and Iran have been exchanging attacks for the past 12 days, as a memorandum of understanding meant to end the war derailed over the fate of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran claims sovereignty over the waterway, while the US insists it must remain an international free passageway.
The US military has been striking military targets in Iran as well as civilian ports and bridges, killing dozens. Iran has retaliated with missiles and rockets on bases housing US troops across the region, killing at least four service members in Jordan and Iraq.
Trump is set to attend a dignified transfer ceremony for the fallen troops at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. He said Iran will "pay a big price" for killing US troops.
The renewed hostilities have sent oil prices soaring, with the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the US surpassing $4, up from around $3.80 during the truce.
Source: www.aljazeera.com