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Wed, 15 Jul 2026

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 Trump threatens to bomb bridges and power plants unless Iran resumes talks

Trump's comments aired as the two countries exchanged fire for the fourth day in a row and the US resumed blockading Iranian ports.

* US President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran's bridges and power plants if it did not return to talks.
* Trump reversed his threat of a 20% fee on all Strait of Hormuz cargo shipping but resumed blockading Iranian ports.
* Shipping data shows traffic through the Strait has slowed dramatically after Trump's threats.
* The US Central Command (Centcom) said Iran had intentionally targeted civilians in the region by attacking seven commercial ships, resulting in "nearly a dozen civilian crew members killed, missing, or injured".
* The ongoing strikes have underscored the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran accuses the US of interfering in its management.
* Trump declared that the US is now the "guardian" of the Strait of Hormuz and vowed to impose a 20% charge on all cargo shipped through the waterway to pay for protecting it.
* The US will also reimpose its naval blockade on Iran in a bid to further squeeze the country's struggling economy.
* Trump later announced that he would replace the 20% fee with "massive" trade and investment deals with Gulf states.