Trump threatens to 'obliterate' Iranian power plants if Strait of Hormuz not opened within 48 hours

U.S. President Donald Trump warned in a Truth Social post early on Sunday that he could target Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not fully reopened.

“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,” Trump wrote at 1:44 a.m., Israel time. 

The threat comes as the United States has increased efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, deploying low-flying fighter jets to strike Iranian boats and Apache helicopters to intercept drones over the past week, according to a recent report in The Wall Street Journal. 

In response, the Iranian military said it will target regional energy and water infrastructure if its power plants are struck. The statement was made after President Trump threatened to ‘obliterate’ Iranian power plants. 

“Following previous warnings, if Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is violated by the enemy, all energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US and the regime in the region will be targeted,” Khatam Al-Anbiya, the Iranian military’s operational commander, said in a statement released by the regime-affiliated Fars news agency. 

Since the start of the war on Feb. 28, the Iranian military has attacked vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, particularly those believed to be tied to Western nations, or Middle East nations that have cooperated with Israel and the U.S. 

Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesman for Khatam al-Anbiya, previously stated that the regime was actively targeting U.S. and Israeli-linked vessels sailing through the strait. 

“We won't allow even one liter of oil to reach the U.S., Zionists [Israel] and ‌their partners,” Zolfaqari said. “Any vessel or tanker bound to them will be a legitimate target.” 

Last week, Reuters reported that the Iranian government is considering imposing transit fees on vessels passing through the strait, citing remarks from an Iranian lawmaker to the Iranian Students' News Agency. 

According to the report, countries using the Strait of Hormuz for shipping, energy ‌transit and food supplies would be required to pay tolls and taxes to Iran to ensure safe passage for their vessels transiting the critical waterway. 

The Iranian government, meanwhile, has said that the valuable waterway is currently open to all vessels “except enemies.” 

On Sunday morning, Seyed Ali Mousavi, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization, said, “The Strait of Hormuz is open to everyone except enemies.” 

“Navigation is possible with coordination for security and safety arrangements,” Mousavi was quoted as telling the regime-affiliated news agency, Tasnim.

President Trump’s Truth Social post was made almost two days after a previous statement saying the U.S. was “getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran.” 

Trump also wrote: “The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it – The United States does not! If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated.”