Trump Orders Heavy Strikes on Iranian Energy Infrastructure

President Donald Trump has ordered a new wave of military strikes against Iran, specifically targeting energy infrastructure, refineries, and nuclear sites such as Pickaxe Mountain. Speaking at a cabinet meeting at Camp David on July 31, Trump stated the U.S. would hit Iran very hard to force the regime to capitulate and abandon its nuclear program. This escalation follows the collapse of a June memorandum of understanding and a series of Iranian attacks, including ballistic missile strikes on U.S. forces in Jordan and drone attacks on military assets in Kuwait and ports in Egypt.

U.S. Central Command has prepared multiple options, including a potential two-week bombardment of missile sites. While the administration has coordinated with Israel, some Israeli officials have denied being formally requested to join the operations. To mitigate economic fallout, the U.S. established a $40 billion maritime reinsurance program and imposed a 20 percent cargo fee for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz under U.S. protection.

Iran has responded by developing a comprehensive plan to target critical Israeli infrastructure and U.S. energy facilities across West Asia. The Iranian government warned that U.S. provocations and the naval blockade of its ports would lead to the total closure of the Strait of Hormuz, threatening global energy markets. The broader conflict, which began in February 2026 with the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has expanded into a regional war involving Houthi militia blockades in the Red Sea and U.S.-Saudi airstrikes in Iraq.