US President Donald Trump has threatened that the US will destroy Iran's power plants if the Islamic Republic does not open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. Trump wrote on his Truth Social network that he wants this to happen "without threats".
However, the threat was immediately followed by Tehran. Iranian authorities have said that if the country's oil facilities and power plants are attacked, the Islamic Republic's military will strike energy infrastructure and water desalination plants it believes are linked to the United States in the Persian Gulf.
Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
Following the start of a joint Israeli-US attack on Iran, Tehran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important shipping lanes. Iran has threatened to attack ships that try to pass through, and traffic has virtually ground to a halt. Since a huge percentage of the world's oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, this has led to a sharp increase in prices.
Donald Trump has seemed increasingly angry about the situation in recent days. He initially asked NATO allies to help the US unblock traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, then said he did not need their help, and finally announced that the strait would sooner or later "open itself".
At the same time, American fighter jets and helicopters are attacking Iranian drones and warships in an attempt to limit Tehran's ability to attack ships in the strait. According to US military data, they have also used bunker-busting bombs to attack specially protected Iranian missile positions around the Strait of Hormuz.
When will the military operation end?
On Friday, the US president said he did not want a truce with Iran, and that the country no longer has "leaders", nor a navy or air force. According to Trump, Iran wants to make a deal, but the US is not interested and the military operation is achieving its goals "a few weeks faster than planned". At the same time, however, Washington is sending thousands of additional troops to the region.
The ultimatum that Trump gave Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz will expire on Tuesday morning. If the US president actually orders strikes on power plants in Iran, it would be a war crime.