US President Donald Trump on Saturday (Mar 21) gave Iran a 48-hour deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic or face the destruction of its energy infrastructure.
“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!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
Since the US and Israel launched the war against Iran on Feb 28, Iran has effectively closed the Strait in retaliation.
Around a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the strait during peacetime, with the closure sending countries reliant on the shipping lane scrambling for alternative routes and tapping reserves.
The hit to supplies from the Gulf has caused fuel prices to spike worldwide, threatening governments with widespread inflation the longer the war continues.
The US military said earlier on Saturday that it had damaged an Iranian bunker housing weapons threatening oil and gas shipments in the Strait of Hormuz.
The statement appeared designed to calm the concerns of energy markets and of Washington’s skeptical international allies, more than 20 of whom issued a statement vowing to back efforts to reopen the key sea lane.
IRAN FIRES LONG-RANGE MISSILES
Iran launched two 4,000km ballistic missiles at the US-UK military base Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said.
The Israeli military said it was the “first time” Iran had used long-range missiles since the United States and Israel began attacking Iran on Feb 28.
“These missiles are not intended to strike Israel. Their range reaches European capitals - Berlin, Paris, and Rome are all within direct threat range,” Zamir said in a statement.
Late on Saturday, Iranian missiles hit the southern Israeli cities of Dimona and Arad, injuring dozens of people, including children, in separate strikes.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a statement early Sunday that they targeted “military installations” and security centres in southern Israel.
Israeli army spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin said in a post on X that the country’s air defences were functioning but did not intercept the strikes. “We will investigate the incident and learn from it,” he said.
Israel’s secretive nuclear reactor is about 13km southeast of Dimona. Both cities lie near several military sites, including Nevatim Air Base, one of the country’s largest.
“This has been a very difficult evening in the battle for our future,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office following the strike on Arad.
“We are determined to continue striking our enemies on all fronts,” the statement said.
Source: CNA
--Agencies
