Trump demanded Iran unblock the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours
Trump threatens to hit Iranian power plants if deadline is disrupted
Photo: whitehouse.gov
US President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Iranian power plants if Tehran does not open the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping in the next two days.
"If Iran does not open the Strait of Hormuz FULLY, WITHOUT THREATS, within 48 HOURS from this very moment, the U.S. of America will strike and destroy their ELECTROSTANCES, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST!" he wrote on Truth Social.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world's oil and LNG normally passes, has been virtually blocked since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began on Feb. 28. This led to a sharp rise in global oil and gas prices. On March 20, Brent crude futures closed trading above $112.
Trump's statements represent a sharp increase in rhetoric against Iran. Only the day before, he said the U.S. was getting closer to achieving its goals in the campaign and was "considering winding down" the operation. According to Trump, the responsibility for securing the Strait of Hormuz will fall on countries that depend on shipping through it. The US president had previously tried unsuccessfully to press allies to help the US secure the strait.
This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor
