US President Donald Trump on Saturday, March 21, threatened to “destroy” Iran’s power plants if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, a major escalation a day after he talked about “ending” the war.
“If Iran does not FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact moment, the US will strike and destroy their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE!” Trump said on social media.
Trump’s deadline would expand the scope of US strikes to infrastructure that affects the daily lives of citizens in Iran.
The threat of an Iranian attack has blocked most ships from passing through the strait, a narrow waterway that serves as a conduit for nearly a third of oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, and threatens a global energy crisis. The impending shutdown sent European gas prices up 35% last week.
Iran’s military command headquarters Khatam al-Anbiya said on Sunday that if the US attacks Iran’s oil and energy infrastructure, then Iran will target all US energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure in the region.
Energy prices rose last week after Iran responded to an Israeli attack on its largest gas field by hitting Qatar’s Ras Laffan city, which processes about a third of the world’s liquefied natural gas, causing damage that will take years to repair.
Threats to Gulf infrastructure came as the conflict entered new dangerous territory.
Israeli officials said that Iranian forces had for the first time fired long-range missiles, raising the risk of further attacks in the Middle East, even as the Iranian attack wounded dozens of people near Israel’s nuclear site.
Iran fired two ballistic missiles with a range of 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) at a US-British military base in Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir said. The Israeli army has said that it is the first time Iran has used long-range missiles since the United States and Israel began attacking Iran on February 28.
“These missiles are not intended to attack Israel. Their range reaches the capitals of Europe – Berlin, Paris, and Rome are all in the zone of direct threats,” Zamir said in a statement on Saturday.
A source in the British Ministry of Defense said the attack happened before the government gave special permission on Friday for the United States to use British military bases to attack Iran’s missile sites.
More than 2,000 people have been killed during the war. In Israel, 15 people have been killed in Iranian attacks.
Trump sends mixed signals
Trump and his administration have sent mixed messages about America’s goals throughout the war, now in its fourth week, leaving America’s allies scrambling to respond.
Trump’s deadline on Saturday was the most abrupt change yet. Trump’s remarks came amid a backlash to a 48-hour delay in affecting Iran’s energy infrastructure, even as US Marines and heavy amphibious assault vehicles continued to move toward the region.
Iran’s largest power plants include the Damavand power plant near Tehran (capacity 2,868 megawatts), the Kerman plant in southeastern Iran (1,910 MW), and the Ramin steam power plant in Khuzestan province (1,890 MW), according to industry and energy databases.
The country’s only nuclear plant in Bushehr on Iran’s southern coast produces about 1,000 MW.
Earlier this month, Trump floated the idea of destroying Iran’s electrical grid even as he dismissed the idea. “We can take apart their power in an hour, and it would take them 25 years to rebuild,” Trump told reporters on March 11. “So, we’re not going to do that.”
American voters seem more concerned that the war could expand. The energy price shock is fueling inflation, hitting consumers and businesses, a major political liability for Trump as he seeks to justify the war to the public ahead of a November election in which control of Congress is at stake.
Trump had also accused NATO allies of cowardice over their reluctance to help open the strait. Some allies have said they will consider it, but most say they are reluctant to join a war that Trump has started without consulting them.
Iran’s attacks hit southern Israel
The Israeli army said on Sunday that it was carrying out a strike in Tehran, hours after the attacks in southern Israel.
Late Saturday, Iranian missiles struck the southern Israeli cities of Dimona and Arad, injuring dozens of people, including children, in separate attacks. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a statement early Sunday that they targeted “military bases” and security facilities in southern Israel.
Israeli army spokeswoman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said in a post on X that the country’s air defenses were working but did not stop the attacks. “We will investigate the incident and learn from it,” he said.
Israel’s secret nuclear reactor is located about 13 kilometers (8 miles) southeast of Dimona. Both cities are close to several military sites, including Nevatim Air Base, one of the largest cities in the country.
“This has been a very difficult evening in the battle for our future,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement issued by his office following the Aad strike.
“We are determined to continue hitting our enemies from all sides,” the statement said. – Rappler.com
