According to a report by Anadolu Agency on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, US President Donald Trump has warned that American military operations against Iran will intensify in the coming days, saying the United States could begin striking the country’s power plants and bridges next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
Speaking during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump said US forces would continue their campaign against Iranian targets, insisting the pressure would increase until Iran agrees to resume diplomatic talks.
According to the US president, American forces have already carried out extensive attacks on strategic locations along Iran’s coastline and would maintain the offensive.
“We’re hitting them very, very hard. We’re hitting every single thing that they have along the shore, along the waterfront. They’ll continue until I say it’s enough,” Trump said.
Trump indicated that while energy facilities had not yet become the primary focus of the campaign, they remained potential targets if the conflict continued.
“I’ll save the energy targets for last, but ultimately we’ll hit energy targets,” he stated.
He further warned that the next phase of military action could include strikes on Iran’s electricity infrastructure and transportation network.
“We’re going to hit them very hard tonight. We’re going to hit them very hard tomorrow night. We’re going to hit them very hard the night after. Then next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges. We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate,” Trump said.
The US president maintained that Iran would eventually have little option but to return to negotiations, claiming communication between American and Iranian representatives had continued despite the ongoing conflict.
“They want to make a deal. You better make a deal. You’re not going to have anybody left,” he said.
Trump also reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for international shipping, describing the waterway as vital to global trade.
He said he had previously considered imposing transit fees on Gulf shipping but abandoned the idea in favour of encouraging stronger economic ties with regional partners.
“I was going to charge a fee, but instead they would rather spend a lot of money in the United States, which frankly is better. I don’t like the idea of a fee. It’s got to remain free because otherwise others will do the same thing,” he said.
Trump defended his administration’s approach to dealing with Tehran, arguing that military pressure remained the only effective means of bringing Iran back to the negotiating table.
“The only way you can negotiate with these people is through strength, and the only strength is military strength,” he added.
He also claimed that the two sides had been close to reaching an agreement before talks unexpectedly collapsed.
“Two days ago, we had a deal, and then they broke it at the last moment,” Trump said, without providing further details.
The remarks came shortly after the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced another round of military strikes against Iran. According to CENTCOM, the operation targeted facilities and capabilities allegedly used by Iranian forces to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The command also confirmed that the United States had resumed a naval blockade involving vessels travelling to and from Iranian ports, saying more than 20 US Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft were currently deployed across the Middle East.
The latest developments have further heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, despite recent diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the crisis through a Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding aimed at restoring dialogue and reducing hostilities.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Tuesday that it had destroyed several US weapons systems and drones during operations in Bahrain and Kuwait. The claim had not been independently verified, and US officials had not publicly responded at the time of filing this report.
The continued exchange of military actions has raised concerns about the possibility of a wider regional conflict, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic maritime corridor through which a significant portion of the world’s oil supply passes. Any prolonged disruption in the area could have serious implications for global energy markets and international trade.
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