President Donald Trump Threatens to Obliterate Iran's Power Plants Over Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump dramatically escalated threats against Iran on Saturday, demanding the country fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or face the destruction of its power plants.

“Live updates: Trump’s ultimatum to Iran draws threat of retaliation Israel has destroyed a bridge on the southern Lebanese coastal highway over the strategic Litani River”

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The president issued the ultimatum on Truth Social, warning '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!'

Associated Press News

This dramatic reversal came barely 24 hours after Trump had publicly discussed potentially 'winding down' the military efforts in the Middle East, creating confusion about his administration's strategic direction.

The threat marked a significant expansion of the conflict's scope, moving beyond military targets to infrastructure that directly impacts civilian life in Iran and the broader region.

Tehran responded swiftly and forcefully to Trump's threat, with multiple Iranian officials vowing devastating retaliation against U.S. and regional infrastructure.

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that 'critical infrastructure, energy infrastructure, and oil facilities' throughout the region would be 'destroyed in an irreversible manner' if Iranian power plants are struck.

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Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya military command headquarters issued a statement declaring that if the U.S. attacks Iran's fuel and energy infrastructure, then 'fuel, energy, information technology systems and desalination infrastructure used by America and the regime in the region will be struck.'

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps further warned that the Strait of Hormuz would be 'completely closed' in the event of an attack on Iran's energy grid, and would not be reopened until the country's power plants are rebuilt.

The escalating threats triggered widespread international concern, with European leaders warning that attacks on civilian infrastructure could have catastrophic humanitarian consequences.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the fresh threats to attack critical civilian infrastructure, stating they 'risk impacting millions of people across the Middle East and beyond.'

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez demanded the strait be opened and warned that 'further escalation could trigger a long-term energy crisis for all humanity.'

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke with Trump about the Middle East situation, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held meetings with Iranian, European and U.S. officials to discuss steps to end the war.

Meanwhile, international energy markets reacted sharply to the crisis, with European gas prices surging as much as 35% last week due to the near-closure of the strait, which handles around 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.

The conflict entered a dangerous new phase with military escalations on multiple fronts, including attacks near nuclear facilities and long-range missile strikes.

Iran launched ballistic missiles with a range of 4,000 km at the U.S.-British military base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, marking the first time Iran had used long-range missiles since the war began.

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In Israel, Iranian missiles struck near the Dimona nuclear research center, injuring around 180 people, though the International Atomic Energy Agency reported no damage to the nuclear facility or abnormal radiation levels.

Israel responded by expanding its military operations in Lebanon, destroying bridges over the strategic Litani River and accelerating the destruction of Lebanese homes near the border.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials reported that strikes had hit a hospital in Andimeshk, forcing patients and doctors to evacuate, while Iran's death toll in the war surpassed 1,500, with over 1,000 killed in Lebanon alone.

Legal experts and analysts raised serious concerns about potential war crimes as the conflict increasingly targeted civilian infrastructure.

Under international humanitarian law, power plants that benefit civilians can be targeted only if the military advantage outweighs the suffering caused to civilians. The Geneva Conventions specifically prohibit attacks on 'objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population.'

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended Trump's approach by stating that 'sometimes you have to escalate to de-escalate,' while U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz argued that Iran's Revolutionary Guard controls much of the country's infrastructure and uses it to power its war effort, making power plants valid military targets.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the war had reached a 'perilous stage' following strikes near nuclear facilities, calling on warring parties to 'exercise maximum military restraint and avoid any actions that could trigger nuclear incidents.'