22/03/2026
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22/03/2026
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WASHINGTON, Mar 22: Donald Trump warned that the United States could “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if Tehran fails to fully reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, marking a sharp escalation just a day after signaling a possible de-escalation of the conflict.
The ultimatum raises the prospect of U.S. strikes expanding beyond military targets to critical civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities that power daily life across Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz — a narrow but vital global energy corridor — carries nearly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments. Ongoing tensions and threats of Iranian attacks have significantly disrupted shipping traffic, pushing European gas prices up by as much as 35% last week and heightening fears of a global energy shock.
In response, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command warned that any U.S. attack on its fuel and energy infrastructure would trigger retaliatory strikes on American-linked energy, information technology, and desalination facilities across the region.
The standoff follows a sharp rise in hostilities after Iran retaliated to an Israeli strike on one of its major gas fields by targeting Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar — one of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas processing hubs. The attack reportedly caused severe damage that could take years to repair, further tightening global energy supplies.
With both sides issuing stark warnings, the confrontation is increasingly threatening to spill over into a broader regional and economic crisis.
