President Trump on Saturday night issued a direct warning to Iran, saying the United States would destroy its power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened within 48 hours.
“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 largest power facility is the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, located along the Persian Gulf in the country’s southwest. It is Iran’s only commercial nuclear power plant.
The Strait of Hormuz has been largely closed to commercial shipping by Iranian military forces since the war began three weeks ago. The strategic waterway carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply, and its disruption has driven a sharp rise in global energy prices.
Trump’s threat comes a day after the Treasury Department announced it would lift certain sanctions on Iranian oil shipments at sea, a move aimed at easing pressure on fuel markets.