Iran Threatens Gulf Infrastructure After Trump Ultimatum

Iran has threatened sweeping retaliation against Gulf infrastructure after U.S. President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum over the Strait of Hormuz, heightening tensions and rattling global energy markets.

Iran signaled a major escalation, warning it would strike energy networks, water desalination plants, and information technology systems across the Gulf if its own electricity infrastructure is targeted. Military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaqari stated that such retaliation had already been outlined in prior warnings.

The threat comes after Trump announced that the United States would attack Iran’s power plants unless Tehran fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. The waterway is one of the world’s most critical النفط transit routes, carrying roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.

The warning has sparked acute concern across Gulf nations, where electricity is essential not only for economic activity but also for survival. Countries such as Bahrain and Qatar rely entirely on desalination for drinking water, while the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia depend heavily on such systems.

Any disruption to power supplies could cripple water production, making Iran’s threats particularly alarming for the region’s densely populated urban centers.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf reinforced the message, warning that key infrastructure across the Middle East could face “irreversible destruction” if Iranian facilities are attacked.

Despite weeks of sustained U.S. and Israeli strikes aimed at degrading Iran’s missile capabilities, Tehran has continued to demonstrate its ability to retaliate. Air raid sirens were reported across central and northern Israel, including Tel Aviv, as Iranian missiles were launched overnight.

Israel responded with a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure in Tehran. Iranian reports indicated civilian casualties, including the death of a child in Khorramabad and damage to residential areas in Urmia.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reported intercepting a ballistic missile aimed at Riyadh, underscoring the widening geographic scope of the conflict.

The standoff has unsettled global markets, with oil prices fluctuating sharply in early Asian trading. The near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has already triggered the most severe oil disruption since the 1970s, pushing European gas prices up by as much as 35% in recent days.

Market analysts warn that Trump’s ultimatum has introduced a “ticking time bomb” of uncertainty, with expectations of further declines in global stock markets.

Although Iran maintains that the strait remains open to neutral shipping, vessel tracking data shows only limited traffic navigating the route under coordinated security arrangements with Tehran.

The conflict shows no immediate signs of de-escalation. Israeli officials anticipate weeks of continued fighting against Iran and its regional ally Hezbollah, which has launched hundreds of rockets from Lebanon since entering the conflict.

The war, which began on February 28, has already resulted in more than 2,000 deaths and triggered widespread economic disruption, including rising fuel costs and inflation concerns worldwide.

With both sides signaling readiness for further escalation, the region faces mounting risks of a broader confrontation that could severely impact global energy security and civilian infrastructure.