President Donald Asset threatened to expand considerably WE military operations against Iranwarning that US forces could begin targeting the country’s power plants and bridges as early as next week unless Tehran agrees to negotiate. Speaking to Fox News, Asset declared that the strikes would continue for as long as he deemed necessary, stating: “Next week it’s really bad for them because next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges. We’re going to destroy all their power plants. We’re going to destroy all their bridges unless they come to the table and negotiate.” He added that the campaign would continue “until I say enough is enough.”
The warning came as WE led a fourth consecutive day of strike against Iran and reestablished a naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. Therefore WE The latest Central Command (CENTCOM) operation, which lasted seven hours, involved fighter jets, drones, warships and precision-guided munitions targeting missile and drone launch sites, naval assets and coastal defense systems. The military said the aim was to further reduce Iranto threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews operating in this strategically vital waterway.
CENTCOM also accused Iran of attacking seven commercial ships over the past week, saying the incidents left nearly a dozen civilian crew members dead, injured or missing. Admiral Brad Cooper further alleged that Iran had launched dozens of missiles and drones towards neighboring Gulf states while continuing its attacks on international shipping in the region.
The new blockade followed a brief but controversial proposal to Asset to impose a 20% toll on goods transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The plan, revealed in a Truth Social article in which he declared that the United States would become “THE GUARDIAN OF HORMUZ DETROIT,” This surprised Gulf allies and many senior administration officials. According to several accounts, the proposal triggered an intense 24-hour diplomatic effort WE officials were trying to determine how such a system would work while Gulf leaders sought to convince Asset to abandon the idea.
At the White House, aides reportedly scrambled to answer basic questions about the proposal, including who would pay the fees and how they would be collected. While some officials initially thought commercial shipping lines would bear the cost, Asset later suggested that Gulf allies would cover the payments. The leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar have reportedly contacted the White House directly, urging it to reconsider its decision.
The day after, Asset The country reversed course by announcing that Gulf partners had committed to investing more in the United States. “I released it yesterday, I thought it was good” Asset said. “I have been called by different people, different countries, kings and emirs… They told me we would like to do it differently.” A White House official said the president viewed the tolls as repayment for years of protecting international shipping, but ultimately accepted investment commitments from regional allies as the preferable alternative.
The proposal had faced resistance within the administration for months. Advisors reportedly warned it could harm WE strategic goals, drive up energy prices and contradict Washington’s long-standing position that no country should impose fees on international waterways. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had previously argued: “No country is permitted to impose tolls or fees on any international waterway,” while supporting a joint international declaration rejecting attempts to control or tax passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran quickly grasped Assetthe original proposal of. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi argued that if the United States believed the safe passage deserved compensation, then Tehran’s position had effectively been validated. “POTUS is absolutely right” said Araghchi. “Anyone who ensures the safe and secure passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz should be paid for this service. He added sarcastically that “20% is of course too much. We will be fair.”
Iranian state media later reported explosions near Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island and several other locations along the southern coast. WE operations continued. In response, IranThe Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced strikes on what it described as command and control centers, logistics facilities, fuel depots and military equipment linked to the WE Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. Tehran has also claimed responsibility for attacks against WE military installations in Kuwait and Jordan, claiming these operations were retaliation for continued U.S. military action and efforts to control the Strait of Hormuz.
Gulf authorities responded to the escalation of attacks. Bahrain activated air raid sirens and urged residents to seek shelter, while Kuwait said it had intercepted what it described as hostile Iranian drones. Jordan’s military said it shot down three ballistic missiles that entered its airspace and stressed it would respond to “any violation or threat” to the sovereignty of the country. Iranian media also claimed responsibility for a drone strike targeting a military base in Jordan that hosts WE aircraft.
The IRGC has insisted that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington ends what it calls its aggression. He also warned that if the United States attempted to prevent Iranian oil and gas exports through maritime control, other regional export routes serving U.S. and allied interests could also be disrupted. “The region’s oil and gas exports will either be accessible to everyone or to none,” » said the IRGC.
In the meantime, IranDeputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Washington’s decision to reinstate the blockade had effectively destroyed the Islamabad memorandum signed after the June ceasefire. He said the WE the move had “dismantled the Islamabad memorandum” and indicated that Tehran no longer considered itself bound by the agreement.
Despite AssetWashington’s insistence that the United States has secured the strategic waterway, passing through the Strait of Hormuz fell sharply amid continued hostilities, fueling new concerns about global energy supplies. The latest exchange of threats, military strikes and diplomatic setbacks has further weakened prospects for negotiations and raised fears that the confrontation could develop into a wider regional conflict.
Source: Novinite
