Open Hormuz or will obliterate Iran power plants: Trump sets deadline

US President Donald Trump has  threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if it doesn’t open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours till Tuesday morning. Trump writes on Truth Social. In a social media post, Trump said the United States would “hit and obliterate” Iranian power plants, beginning with the largest facility, if the waterway is not “fully open, without threat” within the specified timeframe. The US has refrained from targeting Iran energy sites to date amid fears of such a step’s impact on the global economy. The Strait of Hormuz is a key artery for the world’s oil supply.
Responding to Trump's ultimatum, the Iranian military threatened to target all energy, technology, and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US in the region. "Following previous warnings, if Iran's fuel and energy infrastructure is violated by the enemy, all energy, information technology, and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US and the regime in the region will be targeted," the Iranian military's operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya said, reported news agency AFP.
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz for the majority of the shipping traffic, especially for those countries involved in attacks against Iran, since the US-Israel's joint strikes on Tehran on February 28. Around a fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the strait. The closure is sending countries reliant on the shipping lane scrambling for alternative routes and tapping reserves. It has also sent crude oil prices soaring, threatening governments with widespread inflation the longer the war continues. Many countries, including the UK, France, Italy, Germany, South Korea, Australia, the UAE, and Bahrain have condemned the "de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces."
The conflict, now in its fourth week, has already taken a heavy toll. More than 2,000 people have been killed in Iran since US and Israeli attacks began, while at least 15 people have died in Israeli territory in Iranian strikes.