What the US military could do if Iran fails to meet Trump’s ultimatum
What the US military could do if Iran fails to meet Trump’s ultimatum
Time is running out for President Donald Trump’s looming threat to target Iran’s critical civilian facilities if a ceasefire agreement isn’t finalized by Tuesday evening. Military analysts and experts suggest that while the US president’s warning is intense, the military’s ability to execute such a sweeping strike in a short timeframe is limited. The challenge lies in the sheer scale of the operation, as Iran’s size and the distribution of its infrastructure make immediate destruction difficult.
Trump’s Monday declaration to obliterate “every bridge” and power station in Iran within four hours has been met with skepticism. On Tuesday, he escalated the warning, claiming that “a whole civilization will perish” if the deadline isn’t met. These statements, when considered together, signify an unprecedented level of presidential threat. However, some argue that the practicality of such actions is questionable, especially under the constraints of time.
“To meet this threat literally would be an absolute herculean task. And would it have the desired strategic effect?”
A former senior US defense official, who chose to remain anonymous, noted that Trump is struggling to find a more impactful way to pressure the Iranian regime. The threat of annihilating all bridges in a country spanning roughly one-third the area of the continental US is not easily achievable, experts say. While the US has precise knowledge of Iran’s main nuclear sites and infrastructure, identifying and destroying thousands of other targets across the nation in a few hours is improbable.
International law specialists have raised concerns that targeting civilian infrastructure could amount to a war crime. Some even suggest that Trump’s rhetoric about wiping out an entire civilization might be interpreted as inciting genocide. Despite these warnings, Trump brushed aside the concerns during a Monday press conference, emphasizing the urgency of his demands.
In a separate development, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for a two-week extension of the deadline, urging Trump to grant more time for diplomatic progress. Sharif posted on X, asking the Iranian leadership to open the Strait of Hormuz for two weeks as a gesture of goodwill. Pakistan has become a central mediator between the US and Iran, potentially hosting high-level talks if a deal appears near.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump had been informed of Sharif’s proposal. The administration is expected to respond shortly. Meanwhile, Trump reiterated that the US and Iran were engaged in “heated negotiations” on Tuesday, with Vice-President JD Vance highlighting recent airstrikes on Kharg Island, a vital hub for 90% of Iran’s oil exports.
“So they’ve got to know, we’ve got tools in our toolkit that we so far haven’t decided to use. The president of the United States can decide to use them, and he will decide to use them, if the Iranians don’t change their course of conduct.”
Vance clarified that the strikes on Kharg Island were part of ongoing efforts to disrupt Iran’s military capabilities and did not signal a shift in strategy. The US remains committed to negotiations until the deadline, with the potential to impose “much greater pain” on Iran’s economy. The White House also dismissed claims that the airstrikes hinted at a nuclear strike against the Islamic Republic, maintaining that the focus remains on conventional military targets.