Iran issued a stark warning on Monday, declaring it would target power plants across the Middle East if U.S. President Donald Trump carried out his threat to strike facilities within the Islamic Republic. Tehran also threatened to mine the entire Persian Gulf in the event of an invasion.
The Iranian alert heightens risks to electricity and water supplies in Gulf Arab states, where power plants are often paired with desalination facilities critical for drinking water.
Following the warning, Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency released a list of such installations, including the United Arab Emirates’ Barakah nuclear power plant. Over the weekend, Iran launched missile strikes near Israel’s Dimona site, associated with its suspected nuclear program; no damage was reported.
In response, Israel announced a “wide-scale wave of strikes” on Tehran infrastructure, though details were initially limited.
As the possibility of U.S. Marines arriving in the region grows, Iran’s Defense Council cautioned against any invasion. “Any attempt to target Iran’s coasts or islands will, as per military protocol, result in mining all access routes in the Persian Gulf and along the coastline,” it stated.
The U.S. has been pressing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy corridor for global oil shipments. Iran has partially blocked the waterway in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes, permitting passage only for select vessels. U.S. forces could potentially seize islands or territory to ensure access, with Israel also signaling a possible ground role.
Escalating threats between Washington and Tehran
The exchange of threats intensified over the weekend when Trump posted on social media that Iran must reopen the strait or face the obliteration of its power infrastructure, imposing a 48-hour deadline.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard responded by warning that any U.S. strike would prompt attacks on power grids serving American bases, along with economic, industrial, and energy facilities linked to U.S. interests. “Do not doubt that we will do this,” the Guard said.
Fars news agency, closely aligned with the Revolutionary Guard, published a list of energy and desalination facilities, including the UAE’s Barakah nuclear reactors near Saudi Arabia. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf added that vital infrastructure across the region could become legitimate targets.
Global energy and economic impact
Oil prices remain elevated, with Brent crude around $112 per barrel, a 55% increase since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Feb. 28. Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, said the crisis has affected energy markets more severely than the oil shocks of the 1970s or the Russia-Ukraine conflict combined.
United Nations official Jorge Moreira da Silva noted global ripple effects, including soaring fuel prices that have hit millions in Asia and Africa. “There is no military solution,” he emphasized.
Stock markets have also experienced sharp volatility as investors fear a global energy crisis.
U.S. military stance
Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, told Iranian civilians that missiles and drones launched from populated areas could be targeted. “You need to stay inside for now,” he said, adding that warnings would precede any strikes.
In his first one-on-one interview since the war began, Cooper said operations are proceeding on schedule, targeting Iran’s military infrastructure and industrial facilities to prevent future threats. He suggested that if Iran stopped retaliating, the conflict could de-escalate, though he did not indicate whether U.S. and Israeli strikes would halt immediately.
Human toll
Iran reports more than 1,500 deaths, while Iranian strikes have killed 15 in Israel. In the West Bank and Gulf states, over a dozen civilians have died. Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon have killed over 1,000 and displaced more than 1 million, while the group has launched hundreds of rockets into Israel.