Trump threatens attacks on Iranian power plants over opening Strait of Hormuz

Tensions Escalate as Trump Issues Ultimatum to Iran, Missiles Strike Near Israeli Nuclear Site

President Donald Trump has warned Iran that the United States will “obliterate” Iranian power plants if the Islamic Republic fails to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. The ultimatum came as Iranian missiles struck two communities near Israel’s main nuclear research center on Saturday, damaging buildings and injuring dozens.

Trump issued the threat in a social media post from his Florida residence, specifying that the U.S. would target “various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” if Iran does not comply.

Iranian military officials quickly responded early Sunday, warning that any strikes on their energy facilities would trigger retaliatory attacks on U.S. and Israeli energy and infrastructure assets in the region. The statement, carried by state media, specifically mentioned potential strikes on information technology and desalination facilities.

The Strait of Hormuz represents a critical chokepoint in global oil supply chains, connecting the Persian Gulf to the world’s oceans. Recent attacks on commercial vessels and escalating threats have effectively halted tanker traffic through the strait, forcing some of the world’s largest oil producers to cut output as their crude oil has nowhere to go. The situation has already begun affecting global energy markets and commodity prices.

In a significant escalation, Iranian missiles struck the southern Israeli cities of Dimona and Arad on Saturday. Israel’s military acknowledged it was unable to intercept these missiles, marking the first time Iranian projectiles have penetrated Israel’s air defenses in the area around its nuclear facilities. Dimona is approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of Israel’s nuclear research center, while Arad is about 35 kilometers (22 miles) north.

The strike on Arad caused extensive damage across at least ten apartment buildings, with three structures at risk of collapse. Emergency services reported at least 64 people were hospitalized.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf highlighted the strategic significance of the strikes, writing on social media that Israel’s failure to intercept missiles “in the heavily protected Dimona area” represents “operationally, a sign of entering a new phase of the battle.”

Israel is widely believed to be the only Middle Eastern nation possessing nuclear weapons, though Israeli officials maintain a policy of neither confirming nor denying their existence. The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated it had received no reports of damage to Israel’s nuclear center or abnormal radiation levels following the strikes.

The Iranian missile attacks followed an earlier strike on Iran’s main nuclear enrichment site at Natanz. Israel has denied responsibility for that attack, which occurred approximately 220 kilometers southeast of Tehran. According to Mizan, the Iranian judiciary’s official news agency, no radiation leakage occurred.

The IAEA previously reported that the majority of Iran’s estimated 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium is stored at its Isfahan facility. The agency stated on social media that it was investigating the Natanz incident.

The Pentagon has declined to comment on the Natanz strike, which had previously been targeted during the first week of the conflict and during a 12-day war last June. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that such strikes posed a “real risk of catastrophic disaster throughout the Middle East.”

The United States and Israel have presented various justifications for the conflict, ranging from hopes of sparking regime change in Tehran to eliminating Iran’s nuclear and missile programs and curbing its support for regional proxy forces. However, there have been no indications of an uprising within Iran, where internet restrictions limit information flow.

The war’s impact extends well beyond the Middle East, affecting global food and fuel prices as supply chains are disrupted and uncertainty prevails in key commodity markets.

The human toll continues to mount. Iran’s state broadcaster reported Saturday that the death toll in the country has exceeded 1,500, according to health ministry figures. In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian missiles, while four others have died in the occupied West Bank. At least 13 U.S. military personnel have been killed, along with more than a dozen civilians in Gulf nations.

In Lebanon, Israeli strikes targeting the Iran-allied militant group Hezbollah have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced over a million, according to Lebanese government figures, further widening the regional humanitarian crisis as the conflict enters its fourth week with no signs of de-escalation.