President Donald Trump escalated the United States’ three-week-old military conflict with Iran on Saturday night, issuing a stark 48-hour ultimatum demanding that Tehran reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping — or face American strikes on its power infrastructure. The threat marks one of the most dramatic diplomatic escalations of the ongoing war, as oil markets reel and Congress grows increasingly restless over a conflict that has already claimed 13 American lives.
Trump’s Warning: ‘Hit and Obliterate’ Iran’s Power Plants
In a post on Truth Social Saturday evening, Trump left no ambiguity about his intentions. “If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” the president wrote.
The ultimatum follows an earlier warning Trump issued this week, in which he threatened that any Iranian interference with oil flows through the strategically vital waterway would be met with overwhelming force. “If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” Trump wrote in a previous post.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow channel between Iran and Oman at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, is the world’s most critical oil chokepoint — responsible for the transit of approximately 20 percent of all global oil supplies. Iranian forces have effectively closed the strait to most ship traffic since the war began on February 28, triggering a severe disruption to global energy markets.
Oil Prices Surge as Global Energy Markets Destabilize
The economic toll of the strait’s closure has been severe. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures have hovered near $99 per barrel in recent days, while the global benchmark Brent crude has traded at approximately $104 per barrel. Since the conflict began, crude oil prices have risen roughly 45 percent overall, with prices at points topping $110 per barrel. American drivers have felt the pain directly: gas prices have surged by nearly one dollar per gallon — a 33 percent increase — over the past month, according to AAA.
The economic fallout has prompted growing concern among economists and lawmakers alike, with some analysts warning that a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could push the United States toward recession.
Iranian Strikes Hit Israeli Cities; Over 100 Wounded
Saturday’s ultimatum came as Iranian forces launched fresh strikes on Israeli territory. Two separate missile strikes hit the towns of Dimona and Arad in southern Israel, wounding more than 100 people after Israeli missile defense systems failed to intercept the incoming projectiles, Israeli officials confirmed. Iran said the strike on Dimona — home to Israel’s nuclear research complex — was carried out in direct retaliation for an earlier Israeli strike on Natanz, Iran’s primary nuclear enrichment facility.
The strikes represent a continued escalation pattern that has characterized the conflict since U.S. and Israeli forces began coordinated military operations against Iran in late February. The war is now entering its fourth week with no clear end in sight, despite Trump stating earlier this week that he was considering “winding down” military efforts, claiming the United States had “blown Iran off of the map” and met its objectives “weeks ahead of schedule.”
Congress Grows Restless Over War Strategy and Exit Plan
Back in Washington, the political pressure on the Trump administration is intensifying. At least 13 U.S. military personnel have been killed in the conflict, with more than 230 wounded — figures that have increasingly alarmed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Congressional Republicans, typically among Trump’s most loyal supporters, are beginning to push back. Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee said plainly, “I think we need to find an exit strategy as fast as possible.” Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, a former Navy SEAL, expressed opposition to any escalation involving ground forces inside Iran, saying bluntly, “I don’t want to see it.”
The question of ground troops has become the defining fault line on Capitol Hill. Trump has reportedly been reviewing options that include deploying American combat forces inside Iran — a move that would require a new Authorization for Use of Military Force and could fracture the fragile Republican coalition supporting the war effort. Trump launched the military campaign without a formal vote of support from Congress, a decision that has drawn increasing criticism as the conflict drags on.
In the coming weeks, the White House is expected to ask Congress for as much as $200 billion to fund the ongoing military operations — a request that GOP leaders privately acknowledge may not have sufficient votes, even within their own caucus, without a far more detailed strategic plan from the administration.
What Comes Next
The 48-hour clock on Trump’s ultimatum began Saturday night, placing the deadline sometime Monday. Whether Iran complies, retaliates, or signals a willingness to negotiate will determine the next phase of a conflict that has already reshaped global energy markets, tested the limits of Congressional war powers, and placed American military personnel in harm’s way across the Middle East.
The coming days may prove to be among the most consequential of the Trump presidency — and of a war that, just three weeks in, shows no clear signs of resolution.