Trump threatens Iran with power plant strikes over Hormuz blockade

TEL AVIV/JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on March 21 threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if Tehran does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, a dramatic escalation that came barely a day after he talked about “winding down” the war.

“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!” he said on social media.

Mr Trump’s ultimatum would expand the scope of US strikes to infrastructure that affects daily civilian life in Iran.

The threat of Iranian attacks has kept most ships from getting through the strait, a narrow waterway that serves as the conduit for around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Its near-closure sent European gas prices surging as much as 35 per cent last week.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command headquarters said on March 22 that if the US attacks Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure, then Iran would target all US energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure in the region.

Energy prices spiked last week after Iran responded to an Israeli attack on its major gas field by hitting Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, which processes around a fifth of the world’s liquefied natural gas, causing damage that will take years to repair.

The threats to Gulf infrastructure came as the conflict entered dangerous new territory.

Israeli officials said Iranian forces had for the first time fired long-range missiles, expanding the risk of attacks beyond the Middle East, even as an Iranian strike injured dozens of people not far from Israel’s nuclear site.

Iran launched two 4,000km-range ballistic missiles at US-British military base Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said.

The Israeli military said it was the “first time” Iran had used long-range missiles since the United States and Israel began attacking Iran on Feb 28.

“These missiles are not intended to strike Israel. Their range reaches European capitals – Berlin, Paris and Rome are all within direct threat range,” Mr Zamir said.

A source at Britain’s defence ministry said the attack occurred before the government gave specific authorisation on March 20 for the US to use British military bases to carry out strikes on Iranian missile sites.

More than 2,000 people have been killed in Iran since the US and Israel began their attacks. In Israel, 15 people have been killed in Iranian strikes since the war started.

Mixed signals

Mr Trump and his administration have sent mixed messages about US goals throughout the war, now in its fourth week, leaving US allies struggling to respond.

His ultimatum on March 21 was the most abrupt shift yet. Mr Trump’s rhetoric pivoted from a drawdown to an explicit 48-hour countdown to strike Iran’s power infrastructure, even as US Marines and heavy landing craft continue heading to the region.

Iran’s largest power plants include Damavand near Tehran – 2,868 megawatts (MW) of capacity, Kerman in the south-east (1,910 MW) and Ramin in Khuzestan province (1,890 MW), according to industry and energy databases.

The country’s sole nuclear plant at Bushehr on the southern coast produces about 1,000 MW.

Earlier in March, Mr Trump raised the idea of destroying Iran’s power grid even while downplaying the notion. “We could take apart their electric capacity within one hour, and it would take them 25 years to rebuild,” he told reporters on March 11. “So ideally, we’re not going to be doing that.”

US voters appear increasingly concerned that the war could expand. Energy price shocks are fuelling inflation, hitting consumers and businesses hard. This is a major political liability for Mr Trump as he seeks to justify the war to the public before November elections in which control of Congress is at stake.

He 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 said they are reluctant to join a war that he started without consulting them.

New strikes

The Israeli military said on March 22 it is conducting strikes in Tehran, hours after attacks on southern Israel.

Late on March 21, Iranian missiles hit the southern Israeli cities of Dimona and Arad, injuring dozens of people, including children, in separate strikes. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on March 22 they targeted “military installations” and security centres in southern Israel.

Israeli army spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin said on X the country’s air defences were functioning but did not intercept the strikes. “We will investigate the incident and learn from it,” he added.

Israel’s secretive nuclear reactor is about 13km south-east of Dimona. Both cities lie near several military sites, including Nevatim Air Base, one of the country’s largest.

“This has been a very difficult evening in the battle for our future,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office following the strike on Arad.

“We are determined to continue striking our enemies on all fronts.” REUTERS