US/Israel-Iran War (Day 23): Trump gives Iran 48 hours to reopen Strait of Hormuz

This ultimatum comes a day after the president said the US was considering “winding down” as it is getting “close to meeting its objective.”

Over 2,500 people have now been confirmed dead in the war that the United States and Israel launched against Iran, which has now spread across the Middle East.

Also, attacks on major gas facilities in four Middle Eastern countries are worsening the war’s economic impact.

The war entered its 23rd day on Sunday and shows no sign of abating.

PREMIUM TIMES brings you the key events around the war on Saturday.

Trump threatens to obliterate Iran’s power plant

President Donald Trump has issued Iran a 48-hour deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.

Mr Trump, on Sunday, threatened to have the US “obliterate” Iran’s energy infrastructure. This ultimatum comes a day after the president said the US was considering “winding down” as it is getting “close to meeting its objective.”

M Trump wrote on Truth Social that the US would “hit and obliterate” Iranian power plants and would start with “the biggest one first” should Tehran fail to reopen the strait by 11 p.m. on Monday, according to the time of his post.

“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 wrote.

Iran threatens retaliatory attacks on Gulf energy grids

In response, the Iranian army said it will target energy and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US and the Israeli regime in the region should the US attack its energy infrastructure.

“If Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is attacked by the enemy, all energy infrastructure, information technology systems, and desalination facilities belonging to the United States and the regime in the region [Gulf] will be targeted,” it said.

Iran also says its restriction on movement in the Strait of Hormuz only affects vessels linked to countries currently attacking its territory.

Democrats criticise Trump

Democrats critical of Mr Trump’s war on Iran have also criticised his recent threat, which is likely to further escalate the three-week-old conflict and heighten its global impact.

Don Beyer, a democrat representing Northern Virginia in the House of Representatives, described Mr Trump’s statement as a sign of his “increasingly erratic behaviour” and “worsening instability.” 

“This behaviour is a growing threat, not only to the American people but to the world,” he wrote.

A Senate democrat, Yassamin Ansari, referred to Mr Trump as a “maniacal tyrant” who is bent on ruining the US and the world.

In a post on X, she wrote, “From ‘help is on the way’ for Iranian protestors to threatening war crimes against an entire population.”

Another Senate democrat, Chris Murphy, said Mr Trump has lost control of the war and is now in panic mode.

Iran hits Southern Israel hard, Israel closes schools

Hours before Mr Trump’s threat, an Iranian cluster missile struck southern Israel in a town called Arad and injured more than 100 people. This is considered one of the most destructive Iranian attacks since the war began.

The BBC reports that another strike also hit a nearby town referred to as Dimona and injured several Israelis.

The Minister of Education, Yoav Kisch, shut down schools and suspended in-person instruction for all students in the towns that host Israel’s nuclear plants and research facilities.

“Remote learning will take place across the country and in-person learning will not occur,” Mr Kisch wrote on X Saturday night.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate “on all fronts”.

Saudi Arabia declares Iranian embassy staff persona non grata

Saudi Arabia has declared military and security attaches at the Iranian embassy in Riyadh, alongside their staff, persona non grata.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry, in a statement on Saturday evening, demanded that the officials leave within 24 hours, Al Jazeera reports.

The country said its decision was a result of Iran’s repeated attacks on its territory.

It also noted that continued Iranian attacks would lead to further escalation and have “significant consequences” for current and future relations.

Last Wednesday, the ministry declared that its trust in Iran was shattered due to the continuous attack and that it reserved the right to act militarily.

Saudi Arabia downs 60 Iranian drones in a day

Saudi Arabia also said it intercepted nearly 60 drones from Iran on Saturday.

Al Jazeera reports that the Saudi authorities said the majority of the drones targeted the Eastern province, which houses the country’s energy facilities and resources.

The Ministry of Defence also said three ballistic missiles targeted Riyadh province. It said it intercepted one, while the others fell into an uninhabited area.

Iran says it’s downed 127 ‘advanced drones’

On its part, Iran said it has intercepted 127 ‘advanced drones’ from the US and Israel since the start of the war.

Early Sunday, it said it also shot down a combat drone targeted to land in Tehran.

The Islamic Republic said it destroyed the drone before it could cause any destruction.

Iran releases Japanese national

Iran has released one of two Japanese nationals arrested last year.

Reuters reports that Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi disclosed the release of the Japanese on  Sunday. 

While information about the detained nationals is limited, the Committee to Protect Journalists disclosed last year that one of the detainees was a journalist at Japan’s public broadcaster NHK.

Mr Motegi did not provide any specific information about the released Japanese. However, he noted that he was released last Wednesday and is expected to arrive in Japan on Sunday (today).

Hezbollah battles Israeli forces in Khiam

Another war front, which involves Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, has reached a close combat stage.

On Saturday, Israeli troops advanced into the border town of Khiam and Naqoura in Southern Lebanon, triggering fierce clashes with Hezbollah.

The country was drawn into the conflict on 2 March after Hezbollah attacked Israel to avenge the murder of the Iranian supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

Millions of Lebanese are fleeing their homes as the war intensifies.

Cyprus raises concerns over UK bases

With the UK authorising the US to use its bases in the ongoing war, Cyprus is concerned that UK bases on its island put it at risk.

The country began feeling the impact of the war after an Iranian‑made drone hit a British base on the island last week.

DW reports that the incident triggered a protest and intensified debate over the UK’s presence on the Island and Cyprus’s ties to Israel.

President Nikos Christodoulides referred to the two military bases as a “colonial consequence.”

“When the situation is over in the Middle East, we are going to have an open and frank discussion with the British government,” he said, according to the BBC.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer later said he had told the US not to use the UK bases in Cyprus.

Six killed in Qatar

A Qatari military helicopter crashed in Qatar on Sunday morning, resulting in the death of six of the seven people on board.

The helicopter crashed due to a “technical malfunction” in Qatari waters during a “routine duty”, Qatar’s defence ministry wrote on X.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Qatar, which used to pride itself as a mediator on global conflicts, has found itself in the middle of the US and Israel’s war on Iran.