Trump met with advisers on Iran options, sources say
The options include significantly expanding military action, the sources said.
President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Delegations from the U.S. and Iran entered negotiations in June aimed at a war-ending deal based on a memorandum of understanding signed by both countries.
The U.S. and Iran have nonetheless continued to exchange strikes, with the strategic Strait of Hormuz the primary flashpoint.
Key Headlines
- 'Progress was made' in talks with Oman over Strait of Hormuz traffic, Iran says
- Army confirms identity of service member killed in Iranian attack in Jordan
- US disabled another ship trying to break blockade, official confirms
- US struck site near Iraq-Iran border crossing, US official says
- Omani delegation visits Tehran for Strait of Hormuz talks
Trump threatens to bomb Iranian bridges, power plants
President Donald Trump is threatening to attack Iran’s critical infrastructure, writing on social media that the U.S. will bomb "ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT" any time Iran "shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz."
Trump made clear that this action would be in retaliation to vessels targeted in the Strait, but he did not mention any repercussions for Iran’s attacks on Gulf allies or U.S. assets in recent days. On Monday, Trump said Iran would "pay" "many times over" for killing American servicemembers, though he has not specified exactly what form such consequences would appear in.
In his post Wednesday morning, Trump’s threat included bridges and power plants near or in the highly-populated city of Tehran.
"From this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, whether it be by Missile, Rocket, Drone, or any other device or weapon, the United States will bomb and destroy ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT, including those located next to, or in, the Capital City of Tehran," he wrote.
Sirens sound, emergency warnings issued in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
Bahrain's Interior Ministry said that air raid sirens were activated in the kingdom on Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense body also issued an alert warning in the eastern city of Dammam, which sits along the Persian Gulf, "to warn of a danger." The alert was lifted around 10 minutes later.
Maritime traffic falls in Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Kpler says
There were 13 crossings of the Strait of Hormuz on July 20 and nine on July 21, according to maritime intelligence company Kpler.
Addressing the new threats from the Houthis in the Bab el-Mandab Strait -- which sits at the southern end of the Red Sea -- Kpler said that "traffic declined sharply across both chokepoints on 21 July, with Strait of Hormuz crossings down 31% day-on-day to nine vessels and Bab el-Mandeb down 34% to 29."
Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz are "reinforcing concerns that uncertainty across both regional chokepoints could reshape routing decisions, increase freight costs and sustain higher geopolitical risk premiums for energy markets," Kpler said.
-ABC News' Victoria Beaule
Jordan reports downing of 8 Iranian projectiles
Air defenses in Jordan downed eight of 10 projectiles fired by Iran on Wednesday, according to statements from the Jordanian Armed Forces.
Iran fired six missiles and four drones into Jordanian territory according to the statements. Eight of the projectiles were intercepted. Two Iranian missiles fell in remote areas.
No injuries or damage were reported, the military said.
-ABC News' Ghazi Balkiz and Othon Leyva