President Donald Trump escalated tensions with Iran on Saturday, threatening to “obliterate” the country’s power plants if it does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days.
Trump’s warning follows a statement Friday in which he suggested that the U.S. was “winding down” its military operation in Iran, claiming the U.S. was “getting very close” to achieving its objective.
“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!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, has been closed since the start of the conflict, leaving vessels stranded and some facing retaliatory attacks from Iranian forces. The closure has sent oil and gas prices surging, with the national average for gas reaching $3.93 on Saturday, up from $2.94 last month, according to AAA.
Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has reaffirmed that the strait will remain closed until the conflict ends. Meanwhile, Trump has suggested that international allies escort ships through the waterway.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a long-time Trump ally and foreign policy hawk, urged the president to consider removing U.S. military bases from countries “who won’t let us fly from them.” Both Graham and Trump have criticized NATO allies for not supporting efforts to reopen the strait.
Trump has also floated the idea of taking over Iran’s Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports, though he insists he will not deploy ground troops to Iran. The potential operation would represent a significant escalation in the already high-stakes standoff.
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