Share and Follow
On Saturday, President Trump issued a stern warning to Iran, vowing to destroy its power plants if the nation does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
This ultimatum followed Trump’s remarks the previous day, where he suggested that the U.S. was in the process of reducing its military presence in Iran, indicating that the objective was nearly achieved.
Trump took to Truth Social to declare, “Should Iran fail to COMPLETELY REOPEN the Strait of Hormuz, WITHOUT ANY THREATS, within the next 48 HOURS, the United States stands ready to target and destroy their power infrastructure, beginning with the LARGEST PLANT!”
The president has emphasized the need for international partners to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains closed since hostilities began. Meanwhile, Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has maintained that the strait will stay shut until the conflict resolves.
Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Trump supporter and advocate for military action, has called on Trump to reconsider the presence of U.S. military bases in nations unwilling to provide flight permissions. Both Graham and Trump have criticized NATO allies for their lack of support in efforts to reopen the vital waterway.
The strait’s closure has left vessels stranded. Some that have continued their transit through the waterway have faced Iranian retaliatory attacks.
Closing the strait has resulted in a massive spike in oil and gas prices. The national average for gas reached $3.93 as of Saturday, according to data from AAA. The national average last month, prior to the conflict, was $2.94.
Trump has suggested he would take over the strait and is weighing a mission to takeover Iran’s Kharg Island, which handles 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports. Taking over the island would require boots on the ground, though the president has said he will not deploy ground troops to Iran.