Iran warned it would expand attacks across the Gulf region if President Donald Trump carries out threats to strike Iranian energy infrastructure.
The escalation threatens to destabilize critical maritime shipping lanes and energy markets in the Middle East as diplomatic tensions peak. This warning follows a series of kinetic exchanges, including U.S. bombings in the port city of Bandar Abbas and Iranian drone strikes targeting U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Iranian army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia said the responses would be proportional. The Iranian military said that these expanded operations would serve as a direct counter to U.S. threats to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges if diplomatic negotiations are not resumed.
The volatility of the situation was highlighted on June 11, 2026 [1], when reports diverged regarding the U.S. military posture. One report said that President Trump cancelled scheduled attacks against Iran on that date [1], citing an ongoing agreement. However, other reports from the same day indicated the president announced a resumption of attacks in the Middle East and questioned the existence of the Iranian state.
Tehran maintains that its actions are a defensive necessity. The Iranian government has linked the potential for wider conflict to the willingness of the U.S. administration to return to the negotiating table. Without a diplomatic breakthrough, the Iranian military said that the scope of its operations in the Gulf will grow to match the scale of U.S. aggression.
The U.S. has not officially confirmed the current status of the scheduled strikes mentioned in the June 11 reports [1]. The tension persists as both nations weigh the costs of further infrastructure damage against the possibility of a negotiated settlement.
“the responses will be proportional”
The contradictory reports regarding the cancellation and resumption of strikes on June 11 suggest a high-stakes game of brinkmanship. By threatening energy infrastructure, the U.S. is using maximum pressure to force a diplomatic return, while Iran's threat to widen the conflict zone signals its willingness to risk a regional war to protect its domestic power grid and transport hubs.
