US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the United States could reimpose a naval blockade on Iran and target the country’s oil, electricity and water infrastructure, declaring that the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran was effectively “over” and warning that further military action remained a possibility.
Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump said the United States was prepared to restore restrictions on Iranian maritime trade if required.
“We may put down the blockade, we may put it back, the blockade, and it’ll only be a blockade for Iran,” Trump said.
“Anybody else can have whatever they want. Now, of course, they’ll drop some mines if they can, you know, if they can do it.”
The United States had previously lifted its naval blockade under the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Trump and his Iranian counterpart in mid-June.
According to the White House and the US military, more than 140 vessels were intercepted during the blockade. US Central Command also rejected media reports claiming that multiple Iran-linked tankers had bypassed the restrictions.
Trump Threatens Action Against Iran’s Infrastructure
Trump also said the United States could target Iran’s civilian infrastructure and even seize Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export hub, as tensions between the two nations escalated.
The remarks came after Trump announced that the US was preparing for a second consecutive night of strikes following Iranian attacks on American military facilities in the Gulf.
The president said Washington could strike Iran’s electricity generation facilities and desalination plants if necessary. He added that Tuesday’s military operation included attacks on Kharg Island but did not target its oil infrastructure.
“Maybe we’ll take over Kharg Island. We may take over Kharg Island. There’s not a thing they could do about it,”Trump said.
Bahrain Says It Intercepted Iranian Aerial Attacks
Meanwhile, Bahrain said it had intercepted several Iranian missile and drone attacks allegedly targeting civilians as hostilities intensified.
In a statement, the Bahraini armed forces said, “Iran continues its systematic hostile approach through its wrongful attacks using missiles and drones targeting civilians in the Kingdom of Bahrain.”
The military said it had successfully intercepted and destroyed multiple aerial threats and urged residents to avoid approaching suspicious objects or debris resulting from the attacks.
Authorities did not disclose whether the strikes caused any casualties or damage.
The latest developments have further raised tensions in the region, casting uncertainty over the future of the ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran.
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