President Donald Trump reiterated his threats to attack Iranian infrastructure on Wednesday, declaring that the United States would strike a bridge or power plant whenever Tehran targets a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports from Reuters and AFP.
“Each time the Islamic Republic of Iran fires upon a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be with missiles, drones, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy A BRIDGE OR A POWER PLANT, including those located near or in the capital Tehran,” Trump stated in a message on his social media platform, Truth Social.
As U.S.-Iran tensions escalate, attacks from both sides have increased, following the unraveling of a provisional ceasefire agreement signed last month. The struggle for control over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz has intensified, heightening the risk of a return to widespread hostilities.
International law experts and world leaders have criticized Trump’s threats to target Iranian bridges and power plants, deeming them illegal under international law, which prohibits attacks on civilian targets.
Frustrations Among U.S. Allies in the Persian Gulf
Arab allies of Washington in the Persian Gulf are growing increasingly frustrated as hostilities between the U.S. and Iran escalate, jeopardizing their national security and economies.
The concerns of Gulf states are further compounded by their differing opinions on what the U.S. should do next, as reported by Bloomberg.
Some officials believe President Trump should escalate military operations by deploying ground troops in specific areas of Iran, possibly even occupying Kharg Island, a crucial hub for the country’s oil exports, according to insiders who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issues.
These officials argue that Iranian leaders will not concede or relinquish control over the Strait of Hormuz unless the U.S. takes more aggressive measures. They warn that the alternative is a prolonged conflict, albeit of a lower intensity, which could deter foreign investors and tourists from the region, one source noted.
Many regional officials assert that the U.S. needs to “escalate the conflict to de-escalate it,” said David Schenker, a former U.S. diplomat for the Middle East during Trump’s first term and now a researcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “More must be done, as the current dynamics will not compel Iran to make any concessions, whether regarding the strait or the nuclear issue.”
An U.S. official remarked that Trump has extraordinary relationships with regional leaders, and the Republican administration has maintained regular contact with Gulf states since the war began. According to this official, Iran’s attacks on its Gulf neighbors demonstrate Tehran’s recklessness and indicate that it should not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon, speaking on the condition of anonymity regarding private deliberations.
On Tuesday, Trump hinted that the conflict in the Middle East may not conclude anytime soon. “If we left tomorrow, we would have tremendous, tremendous success,” he told reporters during a meeting with the President of Lebanon. “But we’re not leaving tomorrow.”
Some countries, including Qatar, a key mediator of the conflict alongside Pakistan, disagree with the need for expanded military operations and seek an immediate de-escalation of hostilities, sources said. The goal is to prevent fighting from escalating to levels seen in March and early April when the U.S. and Israel were bombing Iranian cities, and Tehran was launching thousands of drones and missiles across the Gulf states.
This development marks a shift from the weeks leading up to the provisional agreement between the U.S. and Iran in mid-June, when Gulf Arab states largely united in urging Trump to pursue diplomacy and reduce tensions with Tehran. That solidarity has fractured as hostilities have worsened in the past two weeks, with Iran and the U.S. exchanging blame for the failure of the so-called memorandum of understanding they signed.
Kuwait and Bahrain have faced intense Iranian attacks, along with Jordan.
Kuwait’s water and power plants have suffered rocket and drone strikes, leading to frequent flight suspensions. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have reported attacks on their oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran has also targeted Oman and Iraq.
The war, which wealthy monarchies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have urged Washington not to initiate, has led them to question the U.S.’s ability to protect its allies. Consequently, some are now seeking to deepen defense ties with European nations, sources reported to Bloomberg.
A Tough Option for Trump
Trump appears increasingly frustrated with Iranian leaders, especially after three American soldiers were killed last week in Jordan and Iraq, with a fourth reported missing. Iran has refused to halt attacks on vessels traversing the Strait of Hormuz, despite threats that Washington would escalate airstrikes until Tehran complies.
However, the American president faces no easy options. Any move to send troops or attempt to seize Kharg Island would likely provoke even more severe retaliatory attacks from Iran and further drive up oil prices. It would also expose hundreds, possibly thousands, of American soldiers to Iranian attacks from relatively close distances that would be challenging to intercept.
Gulf states’ dissatisfaction with Iran is rising as traffic through the strategic strait—which managed most of their oil flows before the war—continues to decline. Many regional officials doubt that this navigable route will fully reopen soon, another anonymous source noted, as they were not authorized to discuss such matters publicly.
“People are frustrated, angry,” said Michael Ratney, former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia. “But they don’t express it too much in public because everyone is trying to manage their relationship with Trump. They want their oil to flow, and their economies to return to normal. The current situation causes them much anxiety.”
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been among the most vocal states in the GCC regarding keeping the strait open. The country, along with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, has continued to send tankers through the strait despite Iranian threats, often turning off satellite signals to avoid detection.
Abu Dhabi wants European countries to be more proactive and initiate a mine-clearing mission, which UAE officials have said they will start once it is safe, according to a knowledgeable source. UAE officials have discussed this with their European counterparts over the past week, the source added.
In a statement on July 18, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for an “immediate halt to the escalation of conflict and avoidance of exacerbating tensions and instability in the region.” It also emphasized the need for a “swift return to negotiations” and highlighted “the importance of ensuring safe and uninterrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Economic Plans Amid Conflict
The war has thrown the short-term economic future of a region that has developed over the past half-century, largely thanks to oil exports, into uncertainty.
Key economic powers, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, continue to diversify their activities into sectors such as artificial intelligence, hedge funds, and tourism, deeming regional stability essential for achieving these goals.
The conflict and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected these countries’ economies, forcing them to halt many exports and causing their budget deficits to spiral.
While Gulf leaders largely welcomed the memorandum of understanding signed last month, they expressed concern that it might give Iran huge financial gains through lifted sanctions, unfreezing funds, and establishing a $300 billion rehabilitation fund. None of the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council currently plan to contribute to this fund, some of the cited sources stated.
Gulf officials are outraged by the suggestion that they should pay reparations to the Islamic Republic, given that their own countries have suffered extensive damage due to Iranian attacks.
Gulf states “are frustrated but powerless to stop either belligerent,” said Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group.
