Ignoring War Crimes Issue, Trump Threatens to Raze Iran's Civil Infrastructure
US President Donald Trump issued a highly aggressive military escalation threat against Iran. In a White House press conference on Monday local time, Trump stated his readiness to destroy bridges to power plants across Iran if the country fails to meet his demands.
Trump emphasised that large-scale military operations could occur at any time. “The entire country could be wiped out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump said in front of the media.
This threat comes ahead of the deadline set by Trump, namely Tuesday at 20:00 local time. He demanded that Tehran agree to a deal guaranteeing “free oil traffic” in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for one-fifth of global crude oil supplies.
If the agreement fails, Trump threatened total destruction in a short time.
“Every bridge in Iran will be destroyed tomorrow night at 12, where every power plant in Iran will stop operating, burn, explode, and never be usable again,” he asserted.
In addition to physical threats, Trump is considering plans to impose toll fees on oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, an ironic step similar to threats previously issued by the Iranian side.
Amid the war rhetoric, Trump praised the success of a high-risk military operation that rescued two F-15 pilots who crashed in enemy territory. He likened the mission to finding “a needle in a haystack” and compared it to a movie scene.
According to Trump, the operation involved more than 170 US military aircraft. Although successful, two transport planes got stuck in the sand and had to be blown up to prevent seizure by the enemy. CIA Director John Ratcliffe added that they conducted a “decoy” operation to mislead Iranian forces who were also searching for the two pilots.
Targeting civilian infrastructure such as energy plants is often considered a violation of international law. However, Trump firmly dismissed such concerns.
“I’m not worried about it,” Trump said when asked about potential war crimes. “You know what the real war crime is? The war crime is allowing Iran to have nuclear weapons.”
He also called Iranian leaders “animals” who have killed tens of thousands of demonstrators. Although polls show a majority of Americans do not approve of this war, Trump stuck to his hardline stance, even calling those opposing war with Iran “stupid”.
To date, Iranian state media reported that Tehran has rejected the ceasefire proposal they labelled as an “American proposal.” This 38-day conflict continues to heat up following Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone attacks on various targets in the Middle East. (AFP/Z-2)
Tehran has outlined its demands based on national interests and conveyed them through third parties.
Russia and Iran also highlighted attacks on civilian facilities deemed violations of international law. Both called for a halt to strikes on non-military targets.
Iran will only open the Strait of Hormuz if transit revenues are used for war reparations. Tehran also issued sharp criticism of Donald Trump over the escalation of conflict in the region.
The US military conducted a high-risk rescue operation to evacuate fighter jet crew who crashed in remote Iranian territory.
Iran sent strong signals regarding the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
The US-Iran conflict triggered a surge in global oil prices. This is the list of 10 countries raising fuel prices, including Vietnam, Singapore, and Australia.
Donald Trump gave Iran additional time until 6 April. Meanwhile, Tehran threatened to bomb hotels housing US troops in the Middle East.
President Donald Trump extended the pause on attacks on Iran’s energy facilities for 10 days. Meanwhile, the IAEA warned of nuclear radiation risks at Bushehr.
Tensions are rising in the Persian Gulf. The US is considering a ground operation on Kharg Island, while Iran strengthens defences with mines and MANPADS missile systems.
The IHSG opened 0.32% weaker at 7,338 on Friday (13/3/2026). The US-Iran conflict triggered an oil price surge and hawkish Fed expectations.