U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to “strike and destroy” Iranian power plants if Tehran does not open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. In a post on the Truth Social platform, Trump wrote: “If Iran does not fully open the Strait of Hormuz, without any threat, within 48 hours from now, the United States of America will strike and destroy various Iranian power plants, starting with the largest!”
This threat represents an escalation in Trump’s rhetoric. He has previously hinted at the option of striking Iranian infrastructure but warned that doing so would hinder the country’s ability to rebuild, an implicit acknowledgment that closing the Strait gives Iran significant leverage.
Trump’s latest threat comes a day after he stated that the United States is considering “scaling back” its military efforts in the Middle East. He had also dismissed questions regarding the White House’s plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying, “The Strait will open automatically at some point.”
