U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated tensions in the Middle East by giving Iran 48 hours to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping, warning that failure to comply will result in the United States striking and destroying Iranian power plants.
In a Truth Social post late Saturday, Trump declared: “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!” The deadline expires Monday evening.
The narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman carries about 20% of the world’s oil supply. Iran’s threats to shipping including warnings to tankers and reported attacks amid its ongoing conflict with the U.S. and Israel have effectively halted commercial traffic through the strait, sending global oil prices surging to multi-year highs above $100 per barrel.
The move is part of a broader escalation that began in late February with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. Tehran has restricted passage, citing security concerns, though Iranian officials now claim the strait is open to non-hostile or “neutral” vessels while maintaining threats against “enemy-linked” ships.
Iran has vowed swift retaliation. Its military command warned Sunday that any attack on its energy infrastructure would trigger strikes on U.S. and Israeli energy facilities, power plants, information technology systems, and desalination plants across the region.
Global markets remain volatile as the deadline looms, with analysts warning of further economic pain from higher fuel costs if the standoff persists. No immediate White House clarification beyond the president’s post has been issued. The situation risks drawing the wider Middle East conflict into a dangerous new phase centered on energy warfare.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
