WASHINGTON-TEHRAN, July 15. /Dunyo IA/. U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could begin striking Iran’s power plants and bridges as early as next week if Tehran does not agree to resume negotiations, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The president made the remarks in an interview with Fox News following a meeting in the White House Situation Room, where he met with senior administration officials and military commanders to discuss U.S. strategy toward Iran amid the continuing exchange of strikes and the confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz.

“Next week it gets really bad for them. 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,” he said.

According to the U.S. president, American representatives delivered an ultimatum to the Iranian side on Tuesday evening.

“You better make a deal, or you’re not going to have anything left,” Donald Trump said, adding that the final decision on continuing the military campaign rests with him. “The operation will continue until I say it's enough.”

Almost simultaneously, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the launch of a new phase of strikes against Iran. In a statement, the command said the operation is intended to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping and civilian crews” in the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of American naval forces in the Middle East, said Iran had “intentionally targeted civilian vessels,” resulting in nearly ten commercial crew members being killed, injured, or reported missing.

Against this backdrop, Iran said it had launched strikes against U.S. military facilities in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had targeted U.S. command-and-control, logistics, and military infrastructure and warned that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed “until American evil comes to an end.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran Kazem Gharibabadi said Washington’s decision to reinstate the naval blockade of Iranian ports had effectively undermined previously reached agreements. According to him, Tehran will not return to negotiations under military and economic pressure.

Earlier, Donald Trump announced a 20% fee on every vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz. He later abandoned the proposal, saying that after talks with Gulf leaders he had decided to replace it with “massive trade and investment deals.” At the same time, the he confirmed that the American blockade of Iranian ports would remain in effect.