Strait of Hormuz (Shutterstock)
Iran must reopen a key maritime oil route or face devastating strikes, President Donald Trump said in a warning to Tehran.
By World Israel News Staff
President Donald Trump imposed a 48-hour deadline on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipping, warning that failure to comply would result in the destruction of the Islamic Republic’s energy infrastructure.
“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 his Truth Social platform on Saturday.
A senior Iranian army official warned that Tehran would retaliate by striking energy assets in the region, should Trump follow through on his threat.
“Following previous warnings, if Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is violated by the enemy, all energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US and the regime in the region will be targeted,” the Iranian military’s operational commander, Khatam Al-Anbiya, said in a statement carried by Fars News Agency.
Prior to the outbreak of the conflict, roughly 20 percent of global oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz each year. East Asian economies, including Japan and China, relied on the maritime route for more than 90 percent of their oil imports.
Recent Iranian attacks on vessels traveling through the strait have sent shockwaves through global markets, driving oil prices sharply higher. Brent crude surged to a record $119 per barrel on Friday before stabilizing to around $105 — still significantly above the pre-war average of approximately $70.
Trump’s warning also comes just one day after he suggested the U.S. may be nearing the end of Operation Epic Fury.
The U.S. is “getting very close to meeting our objectives” and is weighing “winding down our great military efforts… with respect to the terrorist regime of Iran,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Despite that statement, Trump also said on Friday he is not currently interested in pursuing a ceasefire with Iran.
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