Iran hits Gulf refineries as Trump warns U.S. will attack Iranian bridges, power plants

## Summary
Iran hits Gulf refineries as Trump warns U.S. will attack Iranian bridges, power plants April 3, 2026 6:29 AM ET By NPR Staff Israeli emergency responders inspect a scene of a direct ballistic hit, after it was launched from Iran on April 02, 2026 in Petach Tikva, Israel. The strikes came as President Trump repeated his threat to Iran's leadership on Day 35 of the war. "Our military… hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran," Trump posted late Thursday on social media. "Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!" He added: "New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!" Iranian officials said one of the longest bridges linking Tehran to the city of Karaj was destroyed overnight. Here's more news from the war on Iran on Friday: One of Iran's largest bridges destroyed in U.S. strikes The B1 bridge west of the capital Tehran, connecting it to the city of Karaj, was under construction when it was hit in an attack late Wednesday. In response to the attacks, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi said on a post in social media "striking civilian infrastructure will not compel Iranians to surrender." Iran launches missile and drone attacks on Israel, Gulf Kuwait's Petroleum Corporation said on Friday several units at the country's largest oil refinery, Mina Al-Ahmadi, were on fire following a drone attack.

## Article Content
Iran hits Gulf refineries as Trump warns U.S. will attack Iranian bridges, power plants
April 3, 2026
6:29 AM ET
By
NPR Staff
Israeli emergency responders inspect a scene of a direct ballistic hit, after it was launched from Iran on April 02, 2026 in Petach Tikva, Israel. Iran has continued firing waves of drones and missiles at Israel after the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran early on February 28th.
Amir Levy/Getty Images
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Amir Levy/Getty Images
Blasts and sirens rang out across Israel, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Friday as air defense systems tried to stave off Iranian drones and missiles. At least two refineries were set on fire by drone attacks or falling debris. The strikes came as President Trump repeated his threat to Iran's leadership on Day 35 of the war.
"Our military… hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran," Trump posted late Thursday on social media. "Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!"
He added: "New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!"
Iranian officials said one of the longest bridges linking Tehran to the city of Karaj was destroyed overnight.
Among targets hit by Iran on Friday was Kuwait's largest oil refinery, setting some of its units on fire. Authorities in UAE reported an incident at Habshan gas facility from falling debris.
The exchange of strikes and threats came amid renewed global efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway for the oil supply, which has been blocked by Iran in retaliation for the U.S. and Israeli strikes against it that began on Feb. 28. The blockade has sent up prices of oil, gas and fertilizer.
The Brent crude oil price went up by 7.8 percent on Friday, standing at US$109.03 per barrel, a surge of about 50 percent since the war in the Middle East began.
Here's more news from the war on Iran on Friday:
One of Iran's largest bridges destroyed in U.S. strikes
The B1 bridge west of the capital Tehran, connecting it to the city of Karaj, was under construction when it was hit in an attack late Wednesday. Iran's security forces said eight people were killed in the attack.
More strikes were reported across Iran overnight Thursday.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard threatened to hit major bridges in the Gulf region in retaliation.
Trump has threatened the U.S. will hit more civilian infrastructure including power plants by next week if Iran's leadership does not open the Strait of Hormuz. The threat has been criticized by many Iranians, even those who oppose the regime, like opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former shah, due to the hardship it would cause ordinary Iranians.
A bridge struck by U.S. airstrikes on Thursday is seen in the town of Karaj, west of Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2026.
Vahid Salemi/AP
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Vahid Salemi/AP
"If you are saying that if these people are separate from the government and you have just come here to just topple this regime, then why are you attacking this power plant?" an Iranian who fled Tehran told NPR this week.
In response to the attacks, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi said on a post in social media "striking civilian infrastructure will not compel Iranians to surrender."
Iran launches missile and drone attacks on  Israel, Gulf
Kuwait's Petroleum Corporation said on Friday several units at the country's largest oil refinery, Mina Al-Ahmadi, were on fire following a drone attack.
Emergency teams were working to contain the fires and no injuries were reported. The refinery has been a target of Iranian drones in the past.
The Kuwait Army also said its air defense systems were responding to hostile missiles and drone threats.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates reported a fire in the country's Habshan gas facility caused by falling debris from an intercepted attack.
Saudi Arabia's ministry of defense also said it intercepted and destroyed about a dozen drones.
Israel's health ministry said on Friday that it has treated 148 people in the last day, the majority for minor injuries. Some 6,594 people received treatment since the war began, according to the ministry's post on social media.
Nations mull diplomatic pressure on Iran over Strait of Hormuz, but reach no agreement
Leaders of 40 countries, who convened virtually on Thursday at the request of the British government, discussed diplomatic pressure and economic measures to compel Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but did not agree to any specific steps.
The meeting, hosted by U.K. foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, included representatives from European countries, Canada, the United Arab Emirates – but not of the countries that launched the war: the U.S. and Israel.
Earlier this week, Trump said the blocked strait didn't affect the U.S. and told other countries to fend for themselves if they wanted to get it reopened. Cooper said the rest of the world had been left to deal with the consequences of the

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
- The strikes came as President Trump repeated his threat to Iran's leadership on Day 35 of the war. "Our military… hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran," Trump posted late Thursday on social media. "Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!" He added: "New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!" Iranian officials said one of the longest bridges linking Tehran to the city of Karaj was destroyed overnight.
- The threat has been criticized by many Iranians, even those who oppose the regime, like opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former shah, due to the hardship it would cause ordinary Iranians.

### Implications
- Iran hits Gulf refineries as Trump warns U.S. will attack Iranian bridges, power plants April 3, 2026 6:29 AM ET By NPR Staff Israeli emergency responders inspect a scene of a direct ballistic hit, after it was launched from Iran on April 02, 2026 in Petach Tikva, Israel.
- Trump has threatened the U.S. will hit more civilian infrastructure including power plants by next week if Iran's leadership does not open the Strait of Hormuz.
- In response to the attacks, Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi said on a post in social media "striking civilian infrastructure will not compel Iranians to surrender." Iran launches missile and drone attacks on Israel, Gulf Kuwait's Petroleum Corporation said on Friday several units at the country's largest oil refinery, Mina Al-Ahmadi, were on fire following a drone attack.
- Earlier this week, Trump said the blocked strait didn't affect the U.S. and told other countries to fend for themselves if they wanted to get it reopened.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers iran, strait, iranian topics. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1322.