Trump Threatens to Destroy Iran's Power Plants, Tehran Prepares Retaliatory Strike
Tensions in the Middle East have sharply intensified after US President Donald Trump threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants, which was immediately met with Tehran’s threat of retaliatory attacks on vital US infrastructure in the region.
The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East has entered a new phase following Donald Trump’s threat to ‘obliterate’ Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not immediately reopened.
Trump issued the threat via the Truth Social platform, giving a 48-hour deadline regarding the de facto blockade imposed by Iran on this strategic trade route.
‘If Iran does not FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREATS, the Strait of Hormuz within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States will strike and obliterate various of their POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE LARGEST FIRST!’, Trump wrote, as quoted by AFP.
The statement provoked a strong response from Iran. Iran’s military operational command asserted that if their facilities are attacked, then ‘all US energy, information technology, and desalination infrastructure’ in the region would become retaliatory targets.
Tensions heightened after Iran launched retaliatory strikes against an attack on the Natanz nuclear site with two direct attacks on southern Israel.
The missile strikes reportedly penetrated air defence systems and hit the cities of Dimona and Arad, injuring more than 100 people.
Israel then responded by launching a new strike on Iran’s capital, Tehran, on Sunday local time.
The situation in the Strait of Hormuz, which normally handles about one-fifth of global crude oil trade, has further worsened conditions. North Sea Brent crude oil prices have surged above $105 per barrel, or approximately Rp1.77 million.
Amid the tensions, Trump also criticised NATO allies as ‘cowards’ and urged them to secure the route.
Several countries, including the UK, France, Italy, Germany, South Korea, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, have condemned the closure of the route.
Meanwhile, the US military is reported to have sent thousands more marines to the region. The US Central Command also stated that it has dropped bunker-busting bombs on Iran’s underground coastal facilities.
The impact of Iran’s strikes in Israel is evident from damage in Arad, which destroyed the front of buildings and left craters in the ground.
In Dimona, the strike landed about five kilometres from the site believed to be a nuclear weapons storage facility and injured around 30 people.
Iran is also reported to have launched attacks on Gulf countries considered US operational bases. Saudi Arabia stated it intercepted three ballistic missiles and three drones near Riyadh, while the United Arab Emirates faced additional missile and drone attacks.
Although Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu claim to have weakened Iran, analysts assess that Tehran continues to demonstrate resilience.
‘They are showing a lot of resilience that we might not have expected, which the US did not anticipate, in facing this,’ said Neil Quilliam, an analyst from Chatham House.
Amid the conflict that has entered its fourth week, residents of Tehran continue to mark the end of Ramadan and the Persian New Year celebration, Nowruz, despite underlying anxiety.