U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants within 48 hours if Tehran does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.This comes barely a day after he talked about "winding down" the war.
"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!" Trump said on social media.
The threats come as the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, remains effectively closed, sending European gas prices surging as much as 35% last week.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command warned that any U.S. strikes on fuel and energy infrastructure would trigger retaliatory attacks on U.S. energy, information technology, and desalination facilities across the region.
Trump’s statement marks the most abrupt shift in U.S. policy, coming just a day after suggesting a “winding down” of the war, which has now entered its fourth week and claimed over 2,000 lives.
“We could take apart their electric capacity within one hour, and it would take them 25 years to rebuild,” Trump had previously told reporters on March 11, though he added, “So ideally, we're not going to be doing that.”
Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said the missiles “are not intended to strike Israel. Their range reaches European capitals – Berlin, Paris, and Rome are all within direct threat range,” highlighting the risk of the conflict spreading far beyond the Middle East.
The Iranian missile strikes and U.S. threats are heightening tensions across the Gulf, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying, “This has been a very difficult evening in the battle for our future. We are determined to continue striking our enemies on all fronts.”
Energy shocks and regional instability are fueling global concern as the war continues to escalate.
