President Donald Trump declared that the United States will bomb and destroy one Iranian bridge or power plant — including those in Tehran — for every attack Iran launches on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz [1][8][23]. The threat, issued on social media as US forces completed an eleventh consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military targets, came amid surging oil prices — reported above $100 per barrel by some outlets [3][12] and between $95 and $99.25 by others [8][24] — and as UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council the Middle East is "teetering on the edge of the unimaginable" [12][21][32]. Trump separately told Axios he is close to deciding on "a massive attack" against Iran, larger than any previous strike, and has threatened to strike the Pickaxe Mountain underground nuclear site "pretty soon, and very heavily" [2][5][12].

US Central Command states its nightly strikes aim to degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, targeting military operations centers, maritime capabilities, drone storage facilities, and logistics infrastructure [2][18][25][30]. CENTCOM says Iran has attacked more than 30 commercial vessels over three months, endangering hundreds of mariners [18]. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned ASEAN leaders that allowing Iran to control an international waterway and charge tolls would set a precedent other states could replicate, including in Asia [15]. Rubio stated Washington remains open to a negotiated solution but said Iran "does not seem serious" about talks [8][16][17], while Trump asserted Iran "desperately wants to meet" with US negotiators [23] even as he expressed "no interest in meeting" himself [9].

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned that any US attack on nuclear or sensitive sites would be considered an expansion of the war, making all American, allied, and supporter interests targets of a powerful Iranian attack [4][14][30]. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian stated the country is in "full-scale war" with the US [13]. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said diplomatic exchanges with Washington through mediators are continuing and dismissed the focus on the Kolang Kouh site as "a fabricated pretext for aggression" [8][10][13]. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated the US must deal with Iran on the basis of respecting its people and national interests [3].

Iran's armed forces and the IRGC stated they carried out drone and missile strikes on US military facilities in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain, describing the attacks as retaliation for US aggression [2][25][8]. Kuwait's army stated its air defenses engaged Iranian drones [8], and Jordan reported intercepting missiles and drones with no casualties or property damage [8][30][32]. Rubio acknowledged that one Iranian missile "leaked through" air defenses and struck Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan [19][28], where three US soldiers were killed in the July 17 attack [16][25]. A retired Jordanian general attributed Iran's effectiveness to tactics using simple missiles to distract radar before firing trajectory-changing munitions in the final 30-40 kilometers [19][28]. Trump suggested other operators at the base were responsible for the defensive failure [19][28].

Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz open to all ship traffic except Iran's [42], but maritime industry reporting documents a rising death toll among seafarers from ongoing attacks on commercial vessels [42]. The IRGC announced it stopped three oil tankers attempting to cross the strait, with one catching fire before turning back [20]. Only three commodity vessels crossed Hormuz on the day of reporting [16]. Analysts identified Iran's fortified Gulf islands as strategic vulnerabilities, with Kharg Island accounting for roughly 90% of Iran's crude exports and disputed islands like Abu Musa and the Tunbs turned into anti-ship missile fortresses [33].

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that attempts to punish Iran have backfired by causing triple-digit oil prices [3]. A hardline Iranian position asserted that no country will be allowed to sell oil if Iran is denied that right, and that Hormuz security requires the absence of American forces [36]. The price surge is inflicting strain on energy-dependent developing nations: Kenya convened an emergency meeting with oil importers [45], Bangladesh reached out to India and China for alternative supplies [46], Pakistan held a high-level meeting to find alternative crude sources [47], and Thai economists warned GDP growth could fall below 2% [48].

Houthi rebels claimed missile strikes on two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea and broadcast radio warnings to vessels near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, framing their blockade as retaliation for a Saudi blockade of Houthi ports and airstrikes on Sanaa airport [8][20][22][24]. France condemned the attacks as "irresponsible and a serious escalation," and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the tanker strike "unacceptable, illegal and further inflames an already volatile situation" [32]. Former NATO commander James Stavridis warned that simultaneous closure of both Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb could trigger a global oil shock and proposed internationalized naval convoys [31]. Trump said he will hold Iran responsible for Houthi attacks, calling the Houthis a "surrogate and/or proxy of Iran" [24][32].

Qatar's prime minister and Saudi Arabia's foreign minister discussed de-escalation and urged all parties to implement the US-Iran memorandum of understanding [2][16]. Pakistan's prime minister called for restraint [10], Oman's foreign minister described complex discussions to ensure freedom of navigation [39], Russia called for a return to the Islamabad Memorandum [34][38], and China called for restraint and respect for the rights of littoral states [35]. Iran's UN ambassador declared US attacks on civilian infrastructure war crimes [21], the Iranian Red Crescent said it is documenting the aggression for international forums [41], and Médecins Sans Frontières reported the war has compromised healthcare access for Iranian civilians [44].

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate the war has cost $37.5 billion and requested $87 billion in additional funding, warning of critical shortfalls [29][18], though other reporting cited figures ranging from $67 billion to $90 billion [2][11][25]. Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand accused the administration of seeking "unlimited money for bombs" while neglecting domestic needs [16][29], and Senator Gary Peters called Hegseth a "failure" and said the administration has created "another forever war" [29]. The US House narrowly passed a resolution to halt military action in Iran [12][43]. Analysts at the Stimson Center and Sibylline described a "mow the lawn" cycle of strikes without lasting resolution [9], and a Washington Post-sourced report indicated the US military lacks sufficient munition stockpiles for a prolonged war [13].

The UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Trade described a plan to move toward zero dependence on the Strait of Hormuz by expanding eastern ports and pipelines [40]. Trump linked a prospective US-Saudi nuclear cooperation deal to Saudi accession to the Abraham Accords, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed the campaign against Iran as capable of expanding a "circle of peace" [32]. An Egyptian economic analyst argued Trump manages the crisis with deliberate market ambiguity to benefit American investors, and identified Iran's demand for frozen assets as the sticking point in negotiations [26].

Trump stated he is "not finished" with the war and said Iran would need 20-25 years to rebuild [10]. CENTCOM completed a twelfth consecutive night of strikes targeting Iranian maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage, and air defense assets [32].