Di tension for Middle East don reach fever pitch as US President Donald Trump give Iran 48-hour ultimatum to open Strait of Hormuz or face massive attack on dia power plants. Di deadline na Monday evening 7:44pm ET, and Iran don vow say if Trump carry out im threat, dem go close di vital waterway indefinitely and attack energy infrastructure across di region.
Di crisis don send shockwaves through global markets as Asian stocks plummet Monday morning. Japan Nikkei 225 index fall 3.5%, South Korea Kospi plunge 4.9%, Hong Kong Hang Seng Index shed 2.7%, and Taiwan Taiex down 2.2%. Oil prices continue to rise with Brent crude climbing to $114.09 per barrel, adding to fears of global inflation.
International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol warn say di energy crisis worse than di 1973 and 1979 oil shocks. “Di global economy dey face major, major threat,” Birol talk, noting say Asia dey at di forefront of di crisis due to heavy reliance on Strait of Hormuz. Di IEA don release 400 million barrels of oil to ease markets and dey consult with countries like Canada and Mexico to increase production.
Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) respond to Trump threat with strong warning. “If you strike electricity, we will strike electricity,” di IRGC statement talk. Dem vow to target Israeli power plants and those in regional countries hosting US bases, including economic, industrial, and energy infrastructure where Americans get stake.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Trump discuss di crisis in phone call late Sunday. Downing Street say dem agree say reopening Strait of Hormuz na essential to ensure stability in global energy market. Britain be among 22 countries willing to contribute to efforts to ensure safe navigation of di strait.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte express confidence say di alliance go fit reopen di strait, but note say di secret nature of military operation require time to calibrate response. Meanwhile, attacks continue across di region with Iranian state media report strikes in Tehran and Saudi Arabia say dem intercept two ballistic missiles heading toward capital Riyadh.
Di United Arab Emirates report say one Indian national suffer minor injuries from falling debris in Abu Dhabi Al Shawamekh suburb after “interception of a ballistic missile.” UAE defense ministry say dem dey respond to “incoming missile and drone attacks from Iran.” Kuwait and Bahrain also report intercepting hostile threats.
For Israel, dozens of people wound in Iranian missile strikes across southern Israel and Tel Aviv over di weekend. Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani say dem intercept approximately 92% of more than 400 ballistic missiles fired by Iran since di war begin. However, strikes on Arad and Dimona wound over 85 people.
Iran Red Crescent Society report say strikes across Iran don damage more than 80,000 civilian units, including medical centers, schools and ambulances. Pir Hossein Kolivand, head of Iran Red Crescent society, say attacks on these facilities na “direct assaults on di lifelines that save human lives.” One Red Crescent aid worker from Esfahan die while serving.
Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi say around 300 medical and emergency centers don suffer damage since di war begin. For northwestern Iran, Iranian Red Crescent report say strike hit residential area in Urmia, while Fars News Agency report separate airstrike in Khorramabad kill and wound several civilians including child.
House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticize di Trump administration approach on CNN “State of di Union” Sunday. “Dem no get vision, no plan, no exit strategy. Dem clearly no anticipate some of di things wey don happen, including di closure of Strait of Hormuz,” Jeffries talk.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defend di administration strategy on NBC “Meet di Press,” saying “sometimes you have to escalate to de-escalate.” But Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut counter say “dis administration don totally lose touch with reality. Dis war dey spin out of control. Prices dey spike for millions of Americans.”
Former head of Iran branch of Israeli military intelligence Danny Citrinowicz warn say “we dey approach decision point. And for di US unfortunately, we no get good options, only bad options.” Di situation dey complicated by Iran threat to monetize control over Strait of Hormuz, with reports say tankers dey pay up to $2 million to pass.
As di 48-hour deadline dey tick closer, all eyes dey on whether Trump go follow through with im threat or seek diplomatic solution. Di stakes dey high as global economy hang in di balance and millions of civilians across di Middle East face escalating violence and humanitarian crisis.
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