Iran Faces Trump Deadline Over Hormuz Strait Blockade
TEHRAN - Iran confronts a critical Monday deadline from President Donald Trump to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz or face devastating US strikes on its power infrastructure, as regional tensions escalate with Israel preparing for extended warfare.
The ultimatum comes as Israel signals its intention to launch a ground campaign into Lebanon, destroying key bridges while vowing to crush Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shia movement that has drawn the Philippines' regional ally into broader Middle Eastern conflicts.
Trump's 48-Hour Ultimatum
Trump, facing domestic pressure over rising fuel prices affecting Filipino consumers and the global economy, threatened Saturday to "obliterate" Iran's power plants unless Tehran ends its partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
The deadline, calculated from his social media announcement, expires at 23:44 GMT Monday evening Washington time, early Tuesday morning in Iran. This narrow waterway controls one-fifth of global oil flows, directly impacting energy costs for archipelago nations like the Philippines.
Iran's military command responded defiantly, warning it would target Israel's "power plants, energy and information and communications technology infrastructure" plus facilities in regional countries hosting US bases and American-owned companies.
"If the United States' threats regarding Iran's power plants are carried out, the Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed, and it will not be reopened until our destroyed power plants are rebuilt," Iranian operational command stated, noting reconstruction could require years.
Regional Implications for Philippines
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that vital infrastructure across the region would "be considered legitimate targets and will be irreversibly destroyed," raising concerns for Filipino overseas workers in Gulf states and regional economic stability.
The escalation particularly affects the Philippines' energy security, as the nation imports significant petroleum products from the region. Oil prices rose again Monday morning, with US benchmark crude briefly touching $100 per barrel.
Lebanon Braces for Ground Invasion
Israeli forces received orders to destroy bridges used by Hezbollah to cross the Litani River, 30 kilometers north of Lebanon's border. More than 1,000 people have died in Lebanon since Israeli strikes began, with over one million displaced.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the bridge attacks as "a dangerous escalation and flagrant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty," warning they represent "a prelude to a ground invasion."
However, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also blamed Hezbollah, acknowledging the war was "imposed upon us" following the group's retaliation for Israel's killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei at the conflict's start.
Iranian Strikes Reach Israeli Towns
Despite Israel's vaunted air defenses, Iranian missiles Saturday struck two southern towns including Dimona, near Israel's desert nuclear facility. Dozens were injured in the attacks.
"We thought we were safe. We didn't expect this," said Galit Amir, a 50-year-old care provider in Dimona, reflecting growing vulnerability among Israeli civilians.
According to rescuers, one missile landed approximately five kilometers from what experts widely consider the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal, though Israel maintains the facility serves research purposes.
Economic Consequences Mount
Iran's parliament considers imposing shipping tolls through the Strait of Hormuz, with Ghalibaf stating maritime traffic would "not return to its pre-war status."
Patrick Pouyanne, head of French oil giant TotalEnergies, warned of worsening economic outlook if conflict extends beyond six months. "All the economies of the world will be damaged," he told Chinese broadcaster CGTN.
For the Philippines, heavily dependent on energy imports and remittances from overseas workers in the Gulf, prolonged regional instability threatens both fuel costs and the safety of an estimated 2.3 million Filipino workers across the Middle East.
At least 3,230 people have died in Iran during the conflict, including 1,406 civilians, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, though independent verification remains impossible due to restricted access.