Trump sets a 48-hour ultimatum for Iran amid the ongoing Hormuz Strait shutdown.

The U.S. President, Donald Trump, intensified his administration’s military stance on Saturday by giving Tehran a 48-hour deadline to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. In a social media post, he warned that if Iran failed to eliminate threats to the vital waterway, it would face the “obliteration” of its power infrastructure, with a particular focus on its largest power plants.

This move comes after weeks of maritime disruption that have effectively brought shipping to a standstill in the world’s most critical oil chokepoint, where roughly 20% of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) typically passes.

Strategic infrastructure in focus

The latest warning from Donald Trump signals a shift in targeting strategy, expanding beyond military assets to include Iran’s domestic power grid in an effort to maximize pressure on its leadership.

Trump also pushed back against claims that the U.S. has fallen short of its initial objectives, asserting that the campaign is “weeks ahead of schedule” and has already significantly weakened Iran’s naval and air capabilities.

While the White House has indicated that Tehran may be open to negotiations, the President has publicly ruled out talks for now, instead insisting on the unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

A strike on Iran’s power plants would likely have consequences far beyond energy shortages at home. Such a move would point to a broader disruption of regional industrial capacity, making any diplomatic resolution increasingly difficult to achieve.

The “Hormuz chokepoint” and market volatility

The effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has unleashed a major shock to global energy supply, as tanker movements have nearly halted and key Persian Gulf producers have been forced to cut output.

The 48-hour deadline set by Donald Trump has injected fresh urgency into global commodities markets. If no change occurs before it expires, a potential shift toward targeting civilian energy infrastructure could significantly alter the region’s risk premium for the rest of 2026.

Sources: Simon Mugo