Donald Trump threatens to 'obliterate' Iranian power plants if Strait of Hormuz is not reopened within 48 hours

Donald Trump has threatened to "obliterate" Iranian power plants if the country does not lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

The US president gave Iran a 48-hour deadline to reopen the critical waterway in a chilling ultimatum shared on Truth Social at 10.44am AEDT on Sunday.

"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 wrote.

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Iran responds to Trump's ultimatum

He may have meant the Bushehr nuclear power plant, Iran's biggest, which was already hit last week, or Damavand, a natural gas plant near Tehran, Iran's capital.

In turn, Iran warned early on Sunday (Sunday evening AEDT) that any strike on its energy facilities would prompt attacks on US and Israeli energy and infrastructure assets — specifically information technology and desalination facilities — in the region, according to a statement citing an Iranian military spokesperson carried by state media and semi-official outlets.

The Strait of Hormuz is the only waterway in or out of the Persian Gulf and is a vital passageway for crude oil tankers.

Its closure has put enormous pressure on global oil supply, sending liquid fuel prices soaring across the world.

Seyed Ali Mousavi, Iran's envoy to the International Maritime Organisation, said in remarks carried by two Iranian news agencies that navigating the strait is possible for "everyone except enemies" — indicating Tehran would determine which vessels are allowed passage.

Iran has already approved the passage of ships through the waterway to China and elsewhere in Asia.

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Iran strikes area near Israeli nuclear site

Israel's military said it was not able to intercept missiles that hit Dimona and Arad on Saturday, the largest cities near the Negev Desert nuclear centre. It was the first time Iranian missiles penetrated Israel's air defence systems in the area.

"If the Israeli regime is unable to intercept missiles in the heavily protected Dimona area, it is, operationally, a sign of entering a new phase of the battle," Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X.

Rescue workers said at least 64 people were taken to hospitals after the direct hit in Arad. Dimona is about 20 kilometres west of the nuclear research centre and Arad around 35 kilometres north.

Israel's hardline national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited Arad on Sunday, saying that Israel is in a "historic battle" against Iran and that it must "continue until victory".

Israel is believed to possess nuclear weapons, though it doesn't confirm or deny this. The UN nuclear watchdog said on X it had not received reports of damage to the Israeli centre or any abnormal radiation levels.

Israel denies responsibility for attack on Natanz

Tehran's main nuclear enrichment site at Natanz was hit on Saturday. Israel denied responsibility for the attack and the Iranian judiciary's official news agency, Mizan, said there was no leakage.

The Pentagon declined to comment on the strike on Natanz, which was also hit in the first week of the ongoing war and in the 12-day war last June.

The UN watchdog — the International Atomic Energy Agency — has said the bulk of Iran's estimated 441 kilograms of enriched uranium is elsewhere, beneath the rubble at its Isfahan facility.

The US and Israel have offered shifting rationales for the war, from hoping to foment an uprising that topples Iran's leadership to eliminating its nuclear and missile programs and its support for armed proxies. There have been no signs of an uprising, while internet restrictions limit information from Iran.

So far in Iran, the death toll in the war has surpassed 1500, the state broadcaster reported Saturday, citing the health ministry. In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian missiles.

Four others have died in the occupied West Bank. At least 13 US military members have been killed, along with well more than a dozen civilians in Gulf nations.

Trump has been lashing allies

Trump has previously called on key NATO allies to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

"They didn't want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don't want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military manoeuvre that is the single reason for the high oil prices," Trump said in an earlier post on Truth Social.

Trump's latest threat against Iran follows the president's extraordinary criticism over Australia's lack of involvement in the conflict thus far.

The president on Friday told journalists that Australia should get involved and that he was "a little bit surprised that they said no because we always say yes to them".

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Trump had not officially asked Australia for support.

"We have done what we have asked been asked to do," Albanese said at a press conference in Melbourne.

The truth is that we have said yes to the request [from] the UAE for the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft that is operating there with personnel operating as well. In addition to that, we've sent AMRAAM [interceptor missiles].

"That's making a difference as well, to intercept missiles or drones aimed at the UAE. So we continue to provide the support that we have been asked to provide."

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