On Sunday, March 22, 2026, the Trump administration intensified its warnings to Tehran, stating that the bombing of Iran's power plants—including nuclear facilities—is "not off the table" if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened within 48 hours.
The ultimatum follows a period of heightened conflict known as Operation Epic Fury, which has seen three weeks of intense U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iranian military and leadership targets.
The 48-Hour Ultimatum
President Donald Trump issued the warning via social media late Saturday, declaring that the U.S. would "obliterate" Iran's power grid if the strategic waterway remained closed:
The Target List: The President specified that strikes would "hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!".
Strategic Justification: U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz defended the stance on Sunday, arguing that because the IRGC (Revolutionary Guard) controls most of Iran's critical infrastructure, these facilities are "legitimate targets" for degrading their military capability.
Nuclear Inclusion: When asked if this included nuclear power plants (like Bushehr), Waltz stated, "I would never take anything off the table for the president".
Global Economic & Security Risks
The threat to target energy infrastructure has triggered alarm across international markets and diplomatic circles:
Oil Supply Shock: The Strait of Hormuz is responsible for transporting 20% of the world’s oil. Its closure by Iranian forces has already sent global oil prices soaring and led to fuel rationing in parts of Asia.
War Crime Warnings: UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that targeting civilian energy infrastructure could constitute a war crime.
Regional Retaliation: In response, the Iranian parliament speaker warned that if Iran’s power plants are hit, Iran will deem "vital infrastructure sites across the Gulf region" (likely targeting Saudi and UAE oil assets) as legitimate targets.
Status of "Operation Epic Fury" (March 2026)
The war, which began on February 28, 2026, has already seen several major milestones:
Leadership Attrition: The initial wave of strikes on February 28 reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of top officials.
Military Objectives: Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the U.S. mission is focused on four pillars: destroying Iran's ballistic missile arsenal, annihilating its navy, severing proxy ties, and permanently denying it nuclear weapons.
Ground Force Debate: The administration is currently debating whether to deploy ground troops to secure an estimated 970 pounds of enriched uranium that remains buried in underground facilities like Esfahan.
"This terroristic, radical, cleric-led regime cannot be ever allowed to have nuclear weapons. We saw what they were willing to do to their own people... Imagine what they would do to us." — Secretary of State Marco Rubio, March 2, 2026.
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