Trump: We’ll ‘take out’ all of Iran tomorrow, ‘destroy every bridge and power plant’

The warning followed Tehran’s formal rejection of a proposed ceasefire in the five-week conflict with the United States and Israel.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to destroy key Iranian infrastructure within hours if Tehran refuses US demands, after Iran rejected ceasefire proposals and instead called for a permanent end to the war.

At a White House briefing, Trump said the United States was prepared to launch sweeping strikes targeting bridges and power facilities across Iran by Tuesday.

“Every bridge in Iran will be decimated,” he said, adding that “every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again.”

“It will happen over a period of four hours—if we want it to,” Trump said. “We don’t want that to happen.”

The warning followed Tehran’s formal rejection of a proposed ceasefire in the five-week conflict with the United States and Israel.

Iranian officials, speaking through the state-run IRNA news agency, said their response outlined broader conditions aimed at ending the war entirely.

“In this response, which consists of ten paragraphs, Iran, based on previous experiences, while rejecting a ceasefire, emphasized the need for a permanent end to the war while respecting Iran’s considerations,” IRNA reported.

The report said Iran’s position includes demands for “an end to conflicts in the region, a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, reconstruction [reparation of war damages], and lifting sanctions.”

Trump said military escalation could be avoided if Iran meets US conditions, which include halting its nuclear program, ending ballistic missile development, ceasing support for proxy groups and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. “We’re never going to let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” he said, calling Iranian leadership “mentally disturbed people.”

Iran has already moved to restrict access through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, in response to ongoing US and Israeli strikes.

Despite previously suggesting the conflict could conclude within two to three weeks, Trump signaled uncertainty about its trajectory. Asked whether the war was de-escalating or intensifying, he said, “I can’t tell you. It depends on what they do.”

During the briefing, Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been involved in negotiations with Iran, was present but did not speak.