Iran Threatens Gulf Energy And Water Infrastructure After Trump Ultimatum
Iran has warned it will target energy and water infrastructure across the Gulf if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on a threat to strike its electricity network, heightening fears of widespread disruption in a region heavily reliant on desalination.
Trump set a deadline late on Saturday, giving Tehran 48 hours to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face U.S. strikes on its power plants. The ultimatum, due to expire Monday evening U.S. time, has unsettled global markets, with oil prices fluctuating in early Asian trading.
Escalation Raises Risks For Critical Infrastructure
Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaqari said any attack on the country’s energy sector would trigger retaliation against infrastructure belonging to the United States and its regional allies, including desalination facilities and information technology systems.
Such threats carry particular weight in the Gulf, where electricity underpins daily life and water supplies. Countries such as Bahrain and Qatar rely entirely on desalination for drinking water, while the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia depend on it for the majority of their supply.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that key facilities across the Middle East could be «irreversibly destroyed» if Iranian power plants were targeted.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until damaged infrastructure is restored, raising concerns over global energy supplies. The waterway normally handles roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Ongoing Strikes And Regional Tensions
Despite weeks of sustained U.S. and Israeli bombardment that officials say has weakened Iran’s missile capabilities, Tehran has continued to launch retaliatory strikes.
Air raid sirens sounded across northern and central Israel, including Tel Aviv, as well as parts of the occupied West Bank, warning of incoming missiles overnight on Sunday.
Israel said early Monday it had launched a large-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure in Tehran. Iranian media reported casualties following attacks on residential areas in cities including Khorramabad, where at least one child was killed, and Urmia, where damage was reported but no immediate deaths confirmed.
Saudi Arabia said two ballistic missiles were fired towards Riyadh early Monday, with one intercepted and the other landing in an uninhabited area.
In southern Israel, Iranian strikes on Sunday wounded dozens near sensitive military sites, including installations close to the country’s nuclear reactor and the Nevatim Air Base.
Global Markets And Shipping Disrupted
The intensifying conflict has sent shockwaves through global markets. Analysts warn Trump’s ultimatum has created a «ticking time bomb» of uncertainty, with expectations of stock market declines.
Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have already triggered the most severe oil supply crisis since the 1970s, with European gas prices surging sharply in recent days.
While Iran has indicated the strait remains open to certain vessels that coordinate with its authorities, shipping data shows only limited traffic navigating the route.
Conflict Expected To Continue
The confrontation has expanded beyond Iran and Israel, with fighting also intensifying between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Israel said its forces had carried out raids on Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, while the group reported launching rockets into northern Israel. Casualties have been reported on both sides.
Israeli military officials said the conflict could continue for weeks, signalling little prospect of a near-term de-escalation as tensions spread across the region.
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