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President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, threatening to authorize strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure if the Islamic Republic continues to target vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump wrote that any Iranian attack on a ship in the strait, whether by missile, rocket, drone, or other weapon, would be met with U.S. bombing of a bridge or power plant, including those near or in Tehran. The president's rhetoric marks an escalation in tensions over the strategic waterway, through which a significant portion of global oil shipments pass. Trump has previously made similar threats during the early months of the war, including an April warning that a 'whole civilization will die,' though he later backed off. International law, specifically Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, considers attacks on civilians and civilian objects not directly involved in hostilities as war crimes, though the U.S. is not a party to the ICC. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also launched a diplomatic effort to 'dismantle' the ICC. According to the International Maritime Organization, Iranian forces have attacked at least a dozen ships in the strait since July 6. The threat adds to market uncertainty, potentially impacting oil prices and risk appetite in intraday trading, as traders assess the risk of supply disruptions from the region.
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