Iran threatens to ‘completely close’ the Strait of Hormuz and ‘target’ Israeli and US-linked power plants after Trump said he would ‘obliterate’ Tehran’s if Strait of Hormuz does not ‘fully open’ in next 48 hours – live updates

Iran has vowed to ‘completely close’ the Strait of Hormuz if Donald Trump follows through on his threats to hit the regime’s power plants.

The US President said he would ‘obliterate’ Iranian power plants if they did not reopen the crucial passageway.

Iran has now hit back, with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps claiming they will keep it completely shut if the US targets Iranian energy infrastructure.

In a statement, they said: ‘If the US threats regarding Iranian power plants are implemented, the following punitive measures will be taken immediately:

‘1. The Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed and will not open until our destroyed power plants are rebuilt.

‘2. All of the Israeli regime’s power plants, energy infrastructure, and information technology will be widely targeted.

‘3. All similar companies in the region that have American shareholders will be completely destroyed.

‘4. The power plants of the countries in the region that host American bases will be our legitimate targets.

‘5. Everything is ready for the great jihad aimed at the complete destruction of all American economic interests in the West Asian region.’

The strait, through which 20 per cent of global oil passes daily, has remained shut since the beginning of the conflict, spiking oil prices and sparking fears of a global economic crisis.

President Trump has threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not opened within 48 hours.

Iran warned on Sunday it would target US energy infrastructure, if Trump carried out his threat.

Trump made the threat as US Marines and heavy landing craft continue to head to the region.

More than 2,000 people have been killed during the war the US and Israel launched on February 28, which has upended markets, spiked fuel costs, fueled global inflation fears and convulsed the postwar Western alliance.

Trump posted on social media:’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!’

Israel last night warned major cities across the globe, including London, Paris and Berlin, could all be under threat from Iranian missiles after the regime launched a strike on a British military base in the Chagos Islands.

But Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, said he ‘cannot confirm that at the moment’.

He told CBS that if it were proved to be true ‘it is more evidence that what the president is doing… is crucial.

‘What we know for sure is that they are very close to having that capability,’ but he added that ‘whether this [is the] case with the UK base, Diego Garcia, we are still assessing’.

If it is true, he said, ‘it means they already have that capability. If it is not true, we know they are very close to having that capability.’

Israel faces more weeks of fighting against Iran and Iranian-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said on Sunday.

‘Citizens of Israel, we face more weeks of fighting against Iran and Hezbollah,” Defrin said in a televised briefing.

‘With each passing day, we are further weakening the (Iranian) terror regime. We will not allow it or its proxies to threaten the citizens of Israel or the existence of the state of Israel.’

Israel destroyed a key bridge on the Litani River, the Lebanese coastal highway, on Sunday

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned the attacks ‘represent a dangerous escalation and flagrant violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, and are considered a prelude to a ground invasion.’

A British counter-drone unit shot down an Iranian drone overnight, the Ministry of Defence said.

In an update about UK operations in the Middle East, it said: ‘RAF Typhoons and F-35 jets continued their defensive missions overnight, including over Cyprus, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain;

‘A UK-ground-based counter-drone unit, working in a “high-threat area”, successfully downed an Iranian drone overnight.

‘Force protection measures in the region remain “at the highest levels”.’

Iran says it will target US banks as well as military bases, calling them ‘legitimate targets’.

In a post on X, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said: ‘Alongside military bases, those financial entities that finance the US military budget are legitimate targets.

‘US treasury bonds are soaked in Iranians’ blood. Purchase them, and you purchase a strike on your HQ and assets.

‘We monitor your portfolios. This is your final notice’.

Israel has launched a fresh wave of attacks on Lebanon as the country’s president warned of a full scale ground invasion.

The IDF destroyed a key bridge on the Litani River, the Lebanese coastal highway, which it claimed was being used by Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah to transport fighters and weapons into the south of the country.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned the attacks ‘represent a dangerous escalation and flagrant violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, and are considered a prelude to a ground invasion.’

Israel said it began ‘a wide wave of strikes’ against Hezbollah infrastructure on Sunday, adding the war against the group ‘has only just begun’.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said: ‘Iran is our primary effort, and the northern arena is another central arena. They are interconnected.

‘he Hezbollah terror organization constitutes a central proxy of the Iranian terror regime, and it made a grave mistake when it chose to join the campaign against Israel. This choice harms it and the State of Lebanon as a whole.’

Hezbollah dragged Lebanon in to the war after it sent missiles at Israel in response to the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

An Israeli man in his 60s has been killed by an Iranian missile in the past day, according to Israel’s emergency service, Magen David Adom.

The service said it has provided treatment to 164 people in the past day, 150 for physical injuries and 14 for anxiety.

Twelve people are currently in serious conditions with injuries from shrapnel and blasts.

Saudi Arabia said it has downed nine Iranian drones over its eastern region.

The country’s defence ministry said drones were shot down and intercepted on Sunday as Iran continues to attack the Kingdom.

It comes just days after Saudi threatened Iran with military action while claimed any trust with Tehran had been ‘shattered’ after Riyadh was targeted by ballistic missiles

In the harshest comments to come out of the Gulf kingdom since the war started, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal ​bin Farhan accused Iran of premeditated actions against its neighbours.

He said: ‘This pressure from ​Iran will backfire politically and morally and certainly we reserve the right to take military actions if deemed ​necessary.

‘What little trust there was before has completely been shattered,’ bin Farhan said following a meeting between foreign ministers of Gulf and Arab countries in the Saudi capital.

‘We’re going to use every lever we have – political, economic, diplomatic and otherwise, to get these attacks to stop.’

An oil refinery in Saudi Arabia was hit on Thursday while eight ballistic missiles targeted the capital.

US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has insisted the US is ‘jiu-jitsuing’ Iran by ‘using their own oil against them’.

It comes Iran’s threats against shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global gas and oil supplies flow, have caused energy prices to spike around the world.

Mr Bessent said US sanctions on Iranian and Russian oil that had already been loaded onto ships had been temporarily lifted – in a bid to abate market turmoil.

Justifying the decision, he told NBC:

That Iranian oil was always going to be sold to the Chinese. It was going to be sold at a discount… So which is better? If oil prices spiked to $150 and they (Iran) were getting 70 percent of that, or oil prices below 100?

In essence, we are “jiu-jitsuing” the Iranians: we are using their own oil against them.

The US-Israel war on Iran is a ‘scandal’ to humanity, according to Pope Leo.

The pontiff said in his weekly prayer today:

I strongly renew my appeal for us to persevere in prayer, so that hostilities may cease and the way may finally be paved for peace.