Iran reacts to Trump’s Hormuz warning, threatens US infrastructure in Middle East if energy sites attacked
Tehran has issued a strong warning in response to US President Donald Trump’s Hormuz threat, saying that it would go beyond military targets if its energy infrastructure comes under attack. The message was conveyed by Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and carried by state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). He said any strike on Iran’s fuel and energy sector would trigger retaliation against a wider set of targets linked to the United States and its regional allies.“If Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is attacked by the enemy, all energy infrastructure, information technology systems, and desalination facilities belonging to the United States and the regime in the region will be targeted,” Zolfaghari said.
This comes after Trump threatened to strike Iran’s power plants if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. In a social media post, he wrote, “If Iran doesn’t fully open, without threat, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 hours from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”According to sources cited by CBS News, the Pentagon has been working on detailed plans that include the possible deployment of ground troops into Iran, even as no final call has been made. Though US President Donald Trump has publicly downplayed the likelihood of such a move. Speaking at the Oval Office, he said, “No, I’m not putting troops anywhere,” but added, “If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.”The White House said the preparations are aimed at ensuring flexibility. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Pentagon’s role is to provide the President with “maximum optionality” in a crisis, adding that there are currently no plans to send ground forces.Even so, military planning appears to be advancing behind the scenes. Reports indicate that officials have discussed arrangements for detaining Iranian personnel and paramilitary members in the event of an invasion, including identifying locations for processing and holding detainees.At the same time, the US has begun positioning forces closer to the region. Units from the 82nd Airborne Division are being prepared for possible deployment, alongside a Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Army’s Global Response Force.Movement on the ground is already underway. Thousands of Marines are heading towards the Middle East, with three naval ships carrying about 2,200 personnel recently leaving California. This marks the second such deployment since the conflict began, while another unit redirected from the Pacific remains on its way.These steps underline the Pentagon’s effort to keep multiple response options ready, even as tensions rise and Iran signals it could widen the scope of any retaliation.
