Trump: for every Iranian attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the US will destroy one bridge or power plant

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, July 22, 2026 that from now on, each time Iran attacks a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the United States will destroy "one bridge or power plant" in Iran, adding that the targets could include facilities near or inside Tehran.

According to Axios, the remarks came during the eleventh night of US strikes on Iran and after a sharp drop in tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which a large share of the world's oil passes. An Iranian military source warned in response that if the threat is carried out, Iran would strike infrastructure and energy facilities tied to US interests across the region.

The escalating rhetoric over Hormuz has been a main driver of the recent rise in oil prices, lifting Brent to around $95 a barrel, with direct knock-on effects on Iran's gold and currency markets through global markets.