Washington: US President Donald Trump threatened Saturday to "obliterate" Iran's power plants, starting with the largest, if Tehran did not open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.

According to Anadolu Agency, Trump issued his warning via his social media platform, Truth Social, specifying that the ultimatum was set to expire late Monday. The threat, made at 7:44 pm US Eastern Time (2344GMT), did not detail which power plant Trump considered the largest, yet it marked a notable increase in his aggressive stance toward Tehran.

The situation has been tense, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating Friday that Iran would show "zero restraint" should its infrastructure face an attack. Trump's recent comments contrast with his previous statements to PBS, where he expressed reluctance to target power plants in Tehran, citing potential long-term damage and civilian "trauma."

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy chokepoint, has seen disruptions since early March, significantly impacting global oil prices. Approximately 20 million barrels of oil transit through the strait daily. The disruption coincides with US-Israeli military actions against Iran beginning on February 28, which reportedly resulted in the death of 1,300 individuals, including the then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.