President Trump warns of expanding strikes to Iranian civilian and energy infrastructure if no ceasefire is reached
Brent crude surged 60% to $115 per barrel due to the high-risk Strait of Hormuz blockade
Conflict casualties exceed 1,900 in Iran as US and Israeli strikes target power plants and refineries
US President Donald Trump on Monday warned that the country could expand its attacks on Iran to include civilian and energy infrastructure if a ceasefire is not reached soon, even as he said talks were continuing with what he described as a “more reasonable” Iranian regime.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Washington was engaged in “serious discussions” to end its military operations in Iran. However, he added that if a deal was not reached and the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened, the US could target electricity-generating plants, oil wells, Kharg Island and possibly desalination facilities.
2 March 2026
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His remarks came as the conflict entered its fourth week with no signs of de-escalation.
Iran vs US & Israel
The battlefield situation remained volatile, with overnight US and Israeli strikes reportedly hitting Tehran and other major cities, triggering blackouts after power infrastructure was targeted.
The US has reportedly reinforced its regional presence, with several hundred Special Operations personnel and about 3,500 Marines aboard the USS Tripoli, bringing total deployment to over 50,000 troops.
Iran’s navy claimed it had struck the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, though this could not be independently verified. Iranian officials also said Tehran had received a 15-point peace proposal from Washington but denied holding direct talks.
Elsewhere, the conflict spread across multiple fronts. Israel said it intercepted drones launched from Yemen, while Iranian strikes hit targets in Israel and Gulf states.
In Kuwait, an Iranian strike damaged a power and desalination plant, killing one worker and injuring 10 soldiers. Saudi Arabia intercepted missiles aimed at its eastern province, and Bahrain issued alerts.
Fires were reported at an oil refinery in Haifa and at petrochemical facilities in northern Iran following fresh Israeli strikes. Iranian authorities also confirmed the death of a senior Revolutionary Guard naval commander in an Israeli airstrike.
Impact of Conflict
The widening conflict has intensified fears of a global energy crisis.
Brent crude surged to about $115 per barrel, nearly 60% higher than at the start of the war, amid concerns over Iran’s ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a route that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil in peacetime.
Casualty figures continue to rise, with more than 1,900 reported dead in Iran, 19 in Israel, and hundreds more killed across Lebanon, the Gulf, and the West Bank.
