Now entering its fourth week, the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran has evolved beyond a struggle over oil, missiles, and territory. It is taking a more dangerous turn by targeting essential civilian infrastructure. President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum, threatening to strike Iranian power plants unless the Strait of Hormuz is reopened. In response, Tehran issued a chilling counter-threat, warning that it could target desalination plants owned by the US and Israel throughout the region.
The ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has already disrupted global energy supplies and driven up fuel prices. The shift in focus toward electricity grids and water systems indicates a war that could now directly endanger millions of civilians, far from the immediate battle zones.
President Trump warned that the US would “obliterate” Iranian power facilities if the strait is not fully opened within two days. Facing mounting domestic pressure to secure the waterway amid soaring oil prices, Trump issued the ultimatum in a social media post from his Florida residence. He gave Iran 48 hours to reopen the strategic passage or face further attacks.
Notably, Trump’s post on Truth Social did not call for regime change in Iran. He omitted previous demands regarding the approval of a new leadership or “unconditional surrender,” which he had emphasized in the early stages of the war.
Trump’s stated objectives now suggest that the US might end its military actions without removing Iran’s current anti-American leadership, allowing Iranian oil exports to continue and Tehran to retain some influence over the Strait of Hormuz.
If this outcome is seen as unsatisfactory for a war that the president and his aides have framed as dating back to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, an alternative path exists. This would involve US ground forces currently being deployed to the Middle East.
Just over a week ago, US media reported that a Marine expeditionary unit of roughly 2,500 combat troops, along with support ships and aircraft, had been deployed from Japan to the Middle East and is expected to arrive shortly. Another Marine force of comparable size recently left its California base, with an anticipated arrival in mid-April.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, a prominent member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated that President Trump has “lost control of the war” against Iran and is acting in a state of panic. Murphy is among a growing number of lawmakers criticizing the joint US-Israeli military campaign in Iran, now in its fourth week.
Trump had threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if the government fails to act on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, Murphy labeled the military campaign “Trump’s insane war” and noted that it is beginning to strain the broader US economy due to a sharp rise in fuel prices.
