Trump Pledges to Target Iranian Infrastructure Amid Hormuz Talks
President Donald Trump renewed threats to escalate U.S. attacks on Iran’s infrastructure. He posted video of a strike that damaged the B1 bridge linking Tehran and Karaj. Iranian state media said eight people died and 95 were wounded in that strike.
Recent strikes and military incidents
The conflict began with a joint U.S.-Israeli aerial assault on Feb. 28. Nearly five weeks later, attacks and counterstrikes continue across the region.
Iranian outlets reported a drone strike on a Red Crescent relief warehouse in Choghadak, Bushehr province. Two containers were destroyed. Bushehr also hosts Iran’s first nuclear power facility.
Satellite imagery showed smoke over the port on Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation reported drone hits on the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery, causing fires but no injuries. Saudi air defences said they intercepted seven drones in recent hours.
A spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters said Revolutionary Guard defences shot down a second U.S. F-35 over central Iran. Tehran said pilot survival chances were low. The United States had earlier reported an F-35 emergency landing after a combat mission and said that pilot was stable.
Legal warnings and international criticism
More than 100 American international law experts warned that U.S. actions and senior statements raise serious legal concerns. They said such conduct could violate international human rights and humanitarian law. The group cited past remarks, including a mid-March comment suggesting strikes might be carried out “just for fun.”
Officials also pointed to remarks by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth about not fighting with “stupid rules of engagement.” Legal specialists urged caution, saying attacks on civilian infrastructure risk potential war crimes charges.
Diplomacy, Hormuz talks, and shipping security
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for attacks that began on Feb. 28. The waterway normally carries about one-fifth of global oil trade. That closure sparked international alarm over energy supplies.
Countries held talks to restore navigation. Britain chaired a virtual meeting with roughly 40 nations to seek ways to reopen shipping lanes. Participants agreed on freedom of navigation but reached no binding plan.
The U.N. Security Council prepared to vote on a Bahraini resolution to protect commercial shipping. China warned against authorizing force, saying military measures would worsen the crisis. Meanwhile, Tehran said it is drafting a protocol with Oman that could require ships to obtain permits and licences.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas criticized any plan to charge ships for passage. She said international law does not recognise pay-to-pass schemes. The prospect of tightened control has increased calls for measures to counter a potential Iranian stranglehold on energy shipments.
Policy signals and rhetoric
Trump has signalled plans to target Iranian infrastructure, mentioning bridges and electric power plants. He showed frustration with NATO and other allies for not joining U.S. military efforts. He also urged fuel-dependent countries to “just grab it,” a remark that raised diplomatic eyebrows.
Market and humanitarian fallout
Global energy markets reacted strongly. U.S. benchmark crude jumped about 11% in one session. Asian markets were partly closed for Easter, but Japan’s Nikkei pared weekly losses after moves to restore Gulf oil shipments.
The humanitarian toll has been severe. Thousands of people have been killed and tens of thousands injured across the Middle East since the war began. The head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warned medical needs are rising exponentially and supplies could soon run low.
Fuel shortages are already affecting Asia and are expected to hit Europe. Two U.N. agencies warned a sharp economic slowdown could trigger a cost-of-living crisis in parts of Africa.
Reporting and analysis by Filmogaz.com bureaux. The situation remains fluid and could change rapidly.
