After US forces carried out strikes on the B1 bridge in Karaj, Alborz province, widely described as one of Iran’s highest bridges, causing significant destruction and leaving eight dead and 95 injured on Thursday, Iran released a list of eight key bridges across the Gulf region and Jordan, signaling possible targets for retaliation.
The B1 bridge was supposed to be put into operation this year.
The list was published by Fars News Agency, a semi-official portal closely linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Bridges identified as part of the “hit-list” include the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Bridge in Kuwait, the King Fahd Bridge linking Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, the Sheikh Zayed Bridge and the Al Maqta Bridge in the United Arab Emirates, along with the King Hussein Bridge, the Damia Bridge, the Sheikh Khalifa Bridge in Jordan and the Abdou Khalifa Bridge.
Iran’s leadership “knows what needs to be done and needs to do it, FAST!”: Trump
President Donald Trump reiterated his commitment to intensify attacks on the country’s infrastructure as dozens of countries sought ways to restore energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.
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Trump took to social media late Thursday to say the U.S. military “hasn’t even begun to destroy what’s left in Iran. More bridges, then power plants,” noting that Iran’s leadership “knows what needs to be done, and they need to do it, FAST!”
He had previously shared a video showing a US strike on a newly built bridge connecting Tehran to nearby Karaj.
According to Reuters, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a statement: “Strikes on civilian structures, including unfinished bridges, will not force the Iranians to surrender.
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Iranian media reported that a drone strike early on Friday targeted a Red Crescent aid warehouse in the Choghadak area of southern Bushehr province, destroying two containers. Bushehr, a major port city and key maritime hub, is also home to Iran’s first nuclear power plant.
Satellite images earlier this week showed smoke rising from the port of Qeshm, a strategically important Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Iran and its allies continue their attacks across the Gulf. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said its Mina al-Ahmadi refinery was hit by drones, causing fires in operational units, although the state news agency reported no injuries.
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Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry said on Friday that its air defense systems had intercepted seven drones in recent hours, according to state media.
In addition, Iranian headquarters spokesman Khatam al-Anbiya claimed that Revolutionary Guards air defenses shot down a second US F-35 fighter jet over central Iran, with little chance of the pilot’s survival, a Reuters report said. There was no immediate response from the United States.
Last month, the US military said the F-35 was forced to make an emergency landing after completing a combat mission over Iran, adding that the pilot was in stable condition.
Nearly five weeks after the start of a joint US-Israel airstrike, the war in Iran continues to destabilize the region and unsettle financial markets, increasing pressure on Trump to ensure a swift end to the conflict. Trump has stepped up his rhetoric in recent days as indirect talks with Iran’s new leadership show little progress while domestic pessimism about war continues to rise.
