President Donald Trump issued a direct warning to Iran on Saturday, demanding the immediate and unrestricted reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. In a post shared on Truth Social, the President established a 48-hour deadline for Tehran to comply or face large-scale military strikes targeting the country’s energy infrastructure.
The ultimatum comes amid a period of intense maritime friction in the region, where the flow of global oil and gas has been repeatedly disrupted. The President’s message was explicit about the consequences of non-compliance, identifying Iranian power plants as the primary targets for a potential U.S. response.
“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. He concluded the post with, “Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
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The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for the global energy market, with roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil consumption passing through the waterway. In recent weeks, the area has seen a significant reduction in commercial traffic due to reports of mining, drone activity, and threats against merchant vessels.
Military officials have not yet provided details on the specific assets positioned to carry out such a strike, but the administration has recently increased its naval presence in the Middle East. This latest development follows a series of “mixed signals” from the White House regarding the conflict, which has seen both calls for a military wind-down and the deployment of additional Marine expeditionary units to the Gulf.
Iranian officials have not yet issued a formal response to the 48-hour clock. International markets reacted to the news with immediate volatility, as energy analysts warned that strikes on power infrastructure could lead to further escalations in the month-long conflict.
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