Lead: Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Monday denounced President Donald Trump’s threats to strike Iranian energy and transport infrastructure, saying U.S. moves risk dragging the region into conflagration. The comments followed Trump’s expletive-filled demand that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz and his pledge of further attacks if it did not. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, separately said he had spoken to Mr. Trump and suggested Israel assisted in the rescue of a downed U.S. airman inside Iran. Meanwhile, Iran expanded strikes over the weekend on Gulf energy facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE and reported a hit on an Israeli-linked vessel near Dubai.
Key takeaways
- On Monday, Qalibaf publicly rebuked President Trump for threatening to target Iranian energy and transport infrastructure and accused him of following Israeli counsel.
- Donald Trump posted on Truth Social ordering the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened and warning Iran it would be “living in Hell” if it did not; markets reacted with oil prices rising—WTI to $113.62 (+1.86%) and Brent to $110.30 (+1.16%).
- Netanyahu told reporters he had congratulated Mr. Trump on a “perfectly executed” rescue; the Israeli prime minister said the U.S. president expressed gratitude for Israeli help in the operation.
- The U.S. recovered the second crew member of a downed F-15E after a two-day search; the crew member was reported seriously wounded but alive, and reports say CIA assistance helped the mission.
- Iran launched drone and missile strikes on petrochemical and energy sites in Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE over the weekend; Kuwait Petroleum reported fires and “significant material losses.”
- At least five people were reported killed in southwest Iran during U.S.-Israeli operations linked to the rescue effort, and Israeli media said two people died in Haifa after an Iranian ballistic missile struck a residential building.
- Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Sunday killed at least 15 people, while rescue teams continued searches in Haifa and elsewhere for missing civilians.
- Japan said it is preparing leadership-level talks with Iran as it faces high exposure to Middle East oil supplies; roughly 90% of Japan’s crude comes from the region and Tokyo has released 15 days’ worth of oil from private reserves.
Background
Rising hostilities follow weeks of tit-for-tat exchanges between Iran and a U.S.-Israeli coalition that Washington says is aimed at degrading Tehran’s ability to strike regional shipping and energy infrastructure. The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic choke point for global trade; disruptions there can swiftly affect oil markets and shipping insurance. Tokyo’s dependence—about 90% of its crude from the Middle East—has pushed Japan to prepare diplomatic channels and a historic release from its strategic oil stockpiles.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and affiliated groups have increasingly targeted Gulf energy and maritime assets in retaliation for strikes attributed to U.S. and Israeli forces. Those exchanges have reopened old fault lines across Lebanon, Syria and the Gulf states where proxy groups and allied militaries operate. Domestic unrest inside Iran has also persisted: authorities earlier this year executed several people linked to January protests, a crackdown human rights groups describe as the harshest in the Islamic Republic’s recent history.
Main event
Over the weekend and into Monday, Iran carried out drone and missile attacks on petrochemical complexes in Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE, producing large fires and visible plumes of smoke at targeted sites. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said multiple facilities suffered fires and “significant material losses,” and Kuwait reported two desalination and power plants sustained notable damage. Bahraini authorities published footage of heavy smoke after an attack on a petrochemical site.
In Dubai, Iran’s forces said they struck an Israeli-linked vessel at the Jebel Ali port, underscoring Tehran’s capacity to hit maritime-linked targets despite prior damage to its forces. UAE officials in Fujairah reported responding to a drone strike on a du Telecom building and said there were no injuries. The pattern of strikes signaled an expansion from military to economic and civilian-related infrastructure in the Gulf.
In Israel, a ballistic missile from Iran struck a seven-storey residential building in Haifa, killing at least two people and leaving others trapped under rubble; emergency services reported four wounded, including a 10-month-old infant. Israeli forces said their defensive systems were operating to intercept further incoming missiles. Separately, Israeli attacks in Lebanon killed at least 15 people on Sunday as the military announced intensified operations against Hezbollah positions in the south.
The U.S. announced the recovery of the second crew member from a downed F-15E after a two-day search in southwest Iran; the pilot was reported “seriously wounded” but alive. President Trump publicly praised the rescue and, according to Mr. Netanyahu, thanked Israel for assistance. Iranian and U.S.-Israeli statements attributed at least five deaths to the rescue operations inside Iran.
Analysis & implications
The exchange of strikes on energy infrastructure elevates the risk of wider economic disruption beyond immediate military escalation. Oil benchmarks jumped on Monday—WTI to $113.62 and Brent to $110.30—reflecting market fear that attacks on terminals, refineries or shipping lanes will tighten supplies. Even a temporary closure or rerouting around the Strait of Hormuz would raise freight costs and premiums across refining and shipping markets, hitting energy-importing economies fast.
Diplomatically, Trump’s public threats and coarse language complicate coalition management. U.S. partners expressed alarm: senior U.S. lawmakers criticized the president’s rhetoric as reckless, while Japan moved to arrange leadership-level talks with Tehran to protect its energy supplies. Aggressive public messaging may constrain behind-the-scenes diplomacy even as tactical cooperation—such as intelligence or rescue assistance—continues quietly among allies.
Militarily, Iran’s choice to strike petrochemical and utility targets signals a shift toward damaging economic infrastructure, which invites greater legal and political scrutiny if civilian systems are affected. Iran’s central military command has warned that if civilian targets are struck, Tehran will respond with “much more devastating” and widespread operations—an escalation ladder that could broaden the conflict footprint across the Gulf and Levant.
Comparison & data
| Benchmark | Price (Mon open) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| West Texas Intermediate (WTI) | $113.62 | +1.86% |
| North Sea Brent | $110.30 | +1.16% |
These price moves reflect immediate market repricing after threats to infrastructure and the risk of supply interruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. Traders typically add a risk premium when geopolitical tensions rise in the Gulf; sustained attacks on refining or export terminals would amplify that premium and could push benchmarks substantially higher.
Reactions & quotes
“Your reckless moves are dragging the United States into a living HELL for every single family, and our whole region is going to burn because you insist on following Netanyahu’s commands.”
Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Speaker of Iran’s Parliament (post on X)
Qalibaf’s post framed Mr. Trump’s threats as externally prompted and warned of a regional conflagration, signaling Tehran’s intent to cast U.S. actions as influenced by Israel and to rally domestic and regional opposition.
“Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell.”
Donald J. Trump, U.S. President (Truth Social)
The president’s blunt injunction to Iran to reopen the waterway and his vow of strikes against infrastructure drew immediate condemnation from U.S. lawmakers of both parties, who said the rhetoric risked international isolation and could verge on threats of unlawful targeting.
“I congratulated him on his bold decision and a perfectly executed American mission. The president expressed his appreciation for Israel’s help.”
Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel
Mr. Netanyahu’s remarks, suggesting Israeli assistance in the U.S. rescue, underscore close operational ties between Jerusalem and Washington but stopped short of detailing the nature of that help, leaving open questions about the extent of Israeli involvement.
Unconfirmed
- Reports that Israel directly enabled the U.S. rescue operation are cited by Israeli officials but lack independent confirmation of the exact role and methods employed.
- Claims that CIA “subterfuge” was central to the recovery mission have appeared in media reports but remain unverified by U.S. government public statements.
- Estimates that more than 30,000 people were killed during January protests in Iran are cited by some sources; official figures differ and independent verification is incomplete.
Bottom line
The situation remains highly fluid and carries significant economic and security risks: attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure have already moved oil prices higher and raised fears of broader supply disruption. Political rhetoric from Washington and Tehran, amplified by social media, is elevating the danger of miscalculation even as back-channel cooperation and intelligence sharing appear to continue among allies.
In the coming days, key indicators to watch are further strikes on civilian infrastructure, the operational status of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, responses by coalition partners, and whether diplomatic channels—such as Japan’s planned leadership-level talks—can reduce the tempo of escalation. Absent de-escalation, the crisis could broaden across the Levant and Gulf states with sustained economic and humanitarian consequences.