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Hours Before U.S. Deadline, Iran Threatens Total Hormuz Shutdown if Power Plants Are Hit

Insurers sidelining most tankers have driven a sharp oil surge, intensifying U.S. deliberations over more forceful steps.

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U.S. Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion's unload equipment onto the beach as Marine Corps V-22 Ospreys and CH-53 Super Stallions fly overhead at Camp Pendleton's Red Beach on October 18, 2025 in Oceanside, California.
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Overview

  • President Trump set a 48-hour deadline to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and warned U.S. forces would strike Iranian power plants if shipping is not restored.
  • Iranian leaders said the waterway remains open under Iranian rules, but an IRGC spokesman vowed a complete closure that would not end until rebuilt power plants are back online if the U.S. attacks.
  • Maritime data show tanker transits have collapsed by roughly 90%, with hundreds of ships idled as insurers refuse cover and Brent crude rising to multi‑year highs.
  • Iran outlined broader retaliation beyond the strait, naming power, energy and information-technology systems in Israel and in countries hosting U.S. bases as potential targets.
  • U.S. officials are reported to be weighing escalatory options, including a naval blockade or seizing Iran’s Kharg Island, as analysts warn the supply disruption could persist for months.