US President Donald Trump warned that the US government “hasn’t even begun to destroy what’s left of Iran”, hinting at the possibility of more attacks on the country’s infrastructure in violation of international law.
In a social media post late Thursday, President Trump threatened to attack “the bridge next and the power plant after that,” adding that Iran’s leadership “knows what has to be done and it has to be done quickly.”
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His remarks came after he shared footage of a US attack on a newly built bridge connecting Tehran and Karaj, saying: “Iran’s largest bridge has collapsed and will never be used again. Many more will follow!”
Iran says eight people were killed and 95 injured in the attack on the B1 Bridge, which was scheduled to open this year.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the targeting of civilian infrastructure.
“Attacking civilian structures, including unfinished bridges, does not force the Iranian people to surrender,” he said in a statement published in X, adding that such acts “speak the defeat and moral collapse of a deranged enemy.”
The war spreads and the market reacts.
Nearly five weeks after a joint attack between the United States and Israel sparked a war, instability is spreading across the region and shaking global energy markets. Countries are rushing to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for the flow of oil and gas.
Satellite images this week showed smoke rising from Iran’s Qeshm Island, located near the strategic waterway, highlighting the growing risks to regional infrastructure.
With little progress made in indirect negotiations with Iran’s new leadership and domestic criticism of the war mounting, President Trump has become increasingly vocal.
Araguchi warned against any “provocative actions”, including by the UN Security Council, ahead of this weekend’s vote on a resolution that, if passed, would allow UN member states to use “defensive measures” to open waterways.
“Any provocative actions by the aggressors and their supporters, including at the UN Security Council regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, will only complicate the situation,” Araghchi said.
Threats of retaliation and regional implications
Iranian media have already hinted at possible retaliation for the attack on Iran, publishing a list of key regional bridges that could be targeted after the Karaj attack.
The semi-state Fars news agency reported that key borders between Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan could be at risk.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said it had already attacked U.S.-linked industrial sites in the Gulf, including steel facilities in Abu Dhabi and aluminum facilities in Bahrain.
“These attacks are a warning, and if attacks on Iranian industry are repeated, the next response will be even more painful with attacks on the occupation regime’s key infrastructure and US economic industries in the region,” the Revolutionary Guards said.
Health and energy infrastructure hit
Meanwhile, Iran’s Ministry of Health said Thursday’s US and Israeli airstrikes severely damaged Iran’s Pasteur Institute, a major research center involved in fighting diseases such as cholera and COVID-19.
Ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour described the attack as a “direct attack on global health security,” calling it “a pillar of global health for a century.”
He called on international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Red Cross to assess the damage and support recovery efforts.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday’s X broadcast that the attack on the Pasteur Institute “has made it impossible for us to continue providing health services.” He also condemned the attacks on the Delaram Sina Psychiatric Hospital on March 29 and the Tofi Dal Pharmaceutical Complex on March 31.
The WHO has confirmed more than 20 attacks on medical facilities in Iran since March 1.
Separately, Iranian officials claimed on Friday that air defense forces shot down a second US-made F-35 fighter jet over central Iran, adding that the pilot’s chances of survival were low. The United States has not commented on the allegations.
Elsewhere, the Israeli military reported fresh barrage from Iranian missiles that activated its air defense systems.
Emergency services said some homes and vehicles were damaged, and military radio reported debris damage to a train station in Tel Aviv.
