Day 24: Trump threatens to destroy Iranian power plants, Iran responds with missiles on Dimona, and Asian markets plunge

US President Donald Trump dramatically escalated pressure on Iran on Saturday evening: on the social network Truth Social at 23:44 GMT, he threatened that if Iran does not fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, the United States will "strike and destroy" Iranian power plants, "starting with the largest one." The ultimatum comes at a time when only a fraction of normal traffic passes through the strait daily, and Brent crude oil prices rose to approximately $114 per barrel. Al Jazeera ↗ NPR ↗

Iran responded to the ultimatum with a series of threats. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf declared that if Iranian power plants are hit, "vital infrastructure and energy facilities throughout the region will become legitimate targets." The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that it would completely close the strait and destroy facilities belonging to companies with American participation. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected claims of an Iranian blockade, stating that shipping companies are avoiding the strait due to war insurance risks — a war started by the United States, not because of Iranian actions. Al Jazeera ↗

Even before Trump's ultimatum, Iran fired approximately 180 missiles on Saturday at the southern Israeli cities of Dimona and Arad, located near Israel's main nuclear research facility. According to the Israeli Ministry of Health, at least 180 people were injured. An Israeli military spokesperson admitted that air defenses "failed to intercept some missiles, even though they were neither special nor unknown" — the first time Iranian missiles have penetrated Israeli defenses in this sensitive area. According to defense analysts, Iran deployed cluster munitions, whose submunitions scatter over a wide area upon opening, significantly complicating interception. The Times of Israel reported that the Israeli Air Force would begin conserving interceptors. Al Jazeera ↗ NPR ↗

The attack on Dimona was retaliation for the US-Israeli airstrike on Iran's Natanz nuclear facility on March 21. Iran claims the facility was hit, though no leak of radioactive materials occurred. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called for "maximum military restraint near nuclear facilities." The total death toll in Iran since the conflict began on February 28 has exceeded 1,500 according to Iranian authorities, with more than 20,000 injured. Al Jazeera ↗ Al Jazeera ↗

The conflict is also expanding in the Persian Gulf. The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expelled Iran's military attaché and four embassy staff members, giving them a 24-hour deadline to leave — the reason cited was "repeated Iranian attacks" on Saudi territory. Saudi Arabia intercepted 60 Iranian drones and three ballistic missiles on Saturday; Bahrain shot down 143 missiles and 242 drones. Qatar expelled Iranian security and military attachés. Turkey's foreign minister warned that Gulf states "may be forced to retaliate." Al Jazeera ↗ Al Jazeera ↗ NPR ↗

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq stated it carried out 21 attacks on American bases in the country and the region over the past 24 hours. Three drones were intercepted near Erbil airport, and another unmanned aircraft crashed in the al-Sayyida area southwest of Baghdad, injuring four people. Al Jazeera ↗

On the Lebanese front, Israel attacked the Qasmiya bridge on Saturday — a key link between southern Lebanon and the rest of the country — and continues destroying bridges over the Litani River. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun described the attacks on the bridges as "a prelude to a ground invasion" and an attempt to cut off the south from the rest of the territory. Israel's Chief of the General Staff announced that the operation against Hezbollah "has only just begun" and would be "long-term." More than 1,000 people have been killed in Lebanon since the conflict began, and more than a million have been displaced. Al Jazeera ↗ Al Jazeera ↗

The economic effects of the conflict are deepening. The price of Brent crude oil rose to approximately $114 per barrel, while American WTI crude exceeded $100. Asian stock markets fell sharply on Monday morning — Japan's Nikkei 225 lost more than 5 percent, and South Korea's KOSPI fell by 6 percent. Analysts no longer consider a price of $200 per barrel unrealistic. The internet in Iran has remained cut off for the 23rd consecutive day, the longest blackout in the country's history, affecting more than 92 million people. Al Jazeera ↗ Al Jazeera ↗