Trump Threatens to Destroy Iran’s Oil Hub as Tehran Defies US Strike Warning
Tensions in the Middle East reached a breaking point early Tuesday as US President Donald Trump threatened the total destruction of Iran’s critical infrastructure, including Kharg Island’s oil export hub, unless Tehran immediately accepts a deal to end the conflict.
The ultimatum followed a fresh volley of Iranian missiles and a defiant move by Tehran’s parliament to impose tolls on the Strait of Hormuz—a waterway the Trump administration has recently begun referring to as the “Strait of Trump.”
The Ultimatum and the Tolls
President Trump warned that failure to reach a deal would result in US forces leveling Iran’s electric plants, oil wells, and desalination facilities. While experts note that targeting civilian infrastructure could constitute a war crime under international law, the administration remains firm.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio slammed Iran’s plan to tax vessels in the Strait of Hormuz—through which 20% of global oil passes—calling it an illegal seizure of international waters.
“No one in the world can accept it,” Rubio told Al-Jazeera. “It sets an incredible precedent… nations cannot now take over international waterways and claim them as their own.”
Regional Chaos and Energy Markets
The fallout from the month-long war is already being felt across the Gulf:
-
Dubai: Falling debris from intercepted projectiles injured four people, and a Kuwaiti tanker caught fire in a local port.
-
Saudi Arabia: Authorities reported intercepting eight ballistic missiles.
-
Oil Markets: Brent crude has surged nearly 60% this month. Analysts warn that a US ground invasion could push prices toward the record $150-per-barrel mark seen in 2008.
Netanyahu Claims “Halfway” Victory
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Newsmax that Israeli operations have “wiped out” significant portions of Iran’s industrial and arms sectors. “It’s definitely beyond the halfway point,” Netanyahu stated, though he joined President Trump in refusing to provide a definitive timeline for the end of hostilities.
Meanwhile, the conflict continues to claim lives beyond the primary combatants. The UN mission in Lebanon confirmed that two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed Tuesday by an explosion, bringing the total to three Indonesian UN personnel killed this week.
Diplomatic Deadlock
Despite President Trump’s claims of being in contact with a “more reasonable regime” in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei flatly denied any direct negotiations.
As G7 finance ministers meet in Paris to address the global energy crunch, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi issued a direct plea to the White House: “Please, help us to stop the war. You are capable of it.”
