President Trump Lays Out New Rules of Engagement for Iran
President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that the United States will respond directly against Iranian infrastructure every time Iran attacks commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, dramatically escalating his administration's deterrence strategy in one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints.
"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," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The warning came as U.S. Central Command announced that American forces had completed an 11th consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military targets.
According to CENTCOM, the latest operation targeted Iranian military operations centers, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, and logistics infrastructure in an effort to further reduce Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
"Over the past three months, Iran has attacked more than 30 commercial vessels transiting the international waterway vital for regional and global trade," CENTCOM said in a statement. "The unwarranted attacks have endangered hundreds of innocent mariners and undermined freedom of navigation."
Despite the repeated attacks, CENTCOM said commercial traffic has continued moving through the waterway.
When Iran goes back on its word, attacks international shipping, and behaves as a terror state, they must be brought to task. https://t.co/TXquvPbBTg
— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) July 22, 2026
"Despite Iranian aggression, the Strait of Hormuz remains open for commercial vessel transit," the statement continued. "Since early May, CENTCOM forces have helped facilitate the transit of approximately 900 commercial vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil."
Iran showed no immediate sign of backing down following Trump's warning.
According to CBS News, Iran's Tasnim News Agency quoted a military source who warned that any U.S. attack on Iranian infrastructure would trigger retaliation against American interests throughout the region.
The source reportedly said Iran would respond by "striking infrastructure and bridges across the region, including energy facilities in which the United States has interests."
Tasnim also asserted that commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz depends on Iran's approval, claiming that passage would remain safe only if vessels coordinated with Iranian authorities and complied with what it described as Iran's regulations.
"Otherwise, Iran will not abandon its firm resolve to control the strait, viewing such control as essential to its long-term security," the outlet reported.
The Iranian news agency also claimed that a U.S. missile struck Larak Island on Wednesday. The island sits within the Strait of Hormuz and occupies a strategically important location near one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
"At 2:48 pm, the island of Larak was targeted by an American missile," Tasnim reported, adding that Iranian authorities were assessing the location of the impact and the extent of any damage.
Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it had halted maritime traffic through portions of the strait.
In a statement issued Tuesday night, the IRGC claimed that "despite attempts by the crews of those vessels, no ship dared attempt passage through the unlawful southern route of the Strait."
The southern shipping lane is the route encouraged by the United States to reduce interference with commercial traffic and avoid Iranian demands for transit fees.