Trump Threatens to 'Obliterate' Iran's Power Plants Within 48 Hours; Iran Vows to Close Hormuz Completely
Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum threatening to destroy Iran's largest power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not fully reopened, as Iran warned it would seal the waterway entirely in retaliation.
Sercan Roni
US President Donald Trump issued one of the most direct military threats of the 23-day war on Saturday, warning Iran it had 48 hours to fully open the Strait of Hormuz or face the destruction of its power 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 Truth Social.
Iran's military responded swiftly and categorically, warning that the strait would be "completely closed" if the United States followed through on the threat. Tehran framed any strike on its power plants as a crossing of a fundamental red line, warning of an unprecedented escalation in response.
Trump also claimed the US is "weeks ahead of schedule" in its war objectives, listing the degradation of Iran's missile capabilities, the destruction of its navy and air force, and the protection of Gulf Arab states among its achievements. He reiterated that Washington is not seeking a ceasefire or a deal with Iran. "Their leadership is gone, their navy and air force are dead, they have absolutely no defense," Trump wrote.
The ultimatum came as 22 nations issued a joint statement expressing willingness to contribute to ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, including the United Arab Emirates and Australia — the latest to join a growing but still loosely defined coalition. It was not immediately clear what specific contributions those nations would make.
US Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, confirmed the US military had dropped multiple 5,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on an underground facility along Iran's coast used to store anti-ship missiles — a significant expansion of the campaign's target set in the lead-up to Trump's ultimatum.
Meanwhile, an unknown projectile caused an explosion near a bulk carrier off the northern coast of the UAE on Sunday, with all crew reported safe, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations authority.
