President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will strike and "obliterate" Iran’s power plants if Tehran fails to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. The President issued the threat in a social media post, stating that US forces would begin by targeting Iran's largest power plant.
"If Iran doesn't FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP," the post read.
Notably, Trump’s remarks came a day after he spoke about “winding down” the conflict, claiming that the US and Israel had accomplished most of their war objectives.
Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—a key oil passage—has remained disrupted since the war began on February 28, contributing to a 35 per cent rise in global oil prices.
According to reports, energy price shocks are fuelling inflation in the US, hitting consumers and businesses hard, a major political liability for Trump as he seeks to justify the war to the public before November elections in which control of Congress is at stake.
Trump’s fresh threat also follows a significant escalation in the conflict. Iran on Saturday launched two long-range, 4,000-km missiles targeting the US-British military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
The Israeli military observed that it was the first time Iran had used long-range missiles in this round of war.
“These missiles are not intended for Israel. Their range threatens European capitals—Berlin, Paris, and Rome are now in direct danger,” said Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir.
On Saturday evening, Iran also launched a barrage of missiles at several Israeli cities, including Dimona and Arad, injuring dozens.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility, stating that the missiles struck "military installations" and "security centers" in southern Israel.
