Iran Attacks Israel, Trump Warns of Strikes on Iran: Strait of Hormuz Tensions

Iranian missiles struck two communities in southern Israel late Saturday, shattering buildings and injuring dozens in attacks near Israel’s main nuclear research center, even as President Donald Trump warned the U.S. Will “obliterate” Iranian power plants if it doesn’t fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.

The developments signal a dangerous escalation in the conflict as it enters its fourth week. Trump, facing increasing domestic pressure to secure the vital waterway as oil prices surge, issued the ultimatum via a social media post while at his Florida home. He stated the U.S. Would destroy “various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”

Iran’s state media reported Sunday that any strike on its energy facilities would be met with attacks on U.S. And Israeli energy and infrastructure assets in the region, according to a statement attributed to an Iranian military spokesperson.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical pathway for global oil exports, has seen nearly all tanker traffic halted due to attacks on commercial ships and threats of further strikes. This disruption has also led to production cuts from major oil producers, as they lack routes to market for their crude.

The Iranian strikes in Israel followed a strike earlier Saturday on Iran’s main nuclear enrichment site at Natanz. Israel’s military reported it was unable to intercept missiles that hit the southern cities of Dimona and Arad, the latter located approximately 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of the nuclear research center. This marked the first time Iranian missiles had penetrated Israel’s air defense systems in that area.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s Parliament Speaker, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the successful penetration of Israel’s defenses around Dimona signaled a “recent phase of the battle.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the deployment of additional emergency crews to the affected areas. Rescue workers reported widespread damage to at least 10 apartment buildings in Arad, with three facing potential collapse, and at least 64 people were hospitalized.

Dimona is located about 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of the nuclear research center. Israel maintains a policy of ambiguity regarding its nuclear capabilities, neither confirming nor denying their existence. The U.N. Nuclear watchdog reported on X that it had received no reports of damage to the Israeli center or abnormal radiation levels.

“The war is not close to ending,” Israel’s army chief, Gen. Eyal Zamir, said earlier in the day.

Iran also targeted the joint U.K.-U.S. Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean, approximately 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) away, suggesting a greater range for Iranian missiles than previously acknowledged, or the potential use of its space program for an improvised launch.

The U.S. And Israel have presented shifting rationales for the war, including hopes for fomenting an uprising against Iran’s leadership, eliminating its nuclear and missile programs, and countering its support for armed proxies. However, no signs of an uprising have emerged, and internet restrictions within Iran limit the flow of information.

The conflict’s economic effects are being felt globally, driving up food and fuel prices. The extent of damage sustained by Iran in the U.S. And Israeli strikes, which began February 28, remains unclear, as does the question of who currently holds authority within Iran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public since assuming the role.

Israel initially denied responsibility for the strike on the Natanz nuclear facility. The Iranian judiciary’s official news agency, Mizan, reported no leakage. The International Atomic Energy Agency stated that the bulk of Iran’s estimated 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium is located elsewhere, at its Isfahan facility, and is investigating the strike.

The Pentagon declined to comment on the Natanz strike, which was also targeted in a previous conflict last June. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that such strikes posed a “real risk of catastrophic disaster throughout the Middle East.”

U.K. Officials have not provided details regarding a Friday strike targeting the Diego Garcia base, which was unsuccessful. Britain’s Ministry of Defense described Iran as “lashing out across the region.” While Iran previously asserted its missile range was limited to below 2,000 kilometers (over 1,200 miles), military experts suggest it may have utilized its space launch vehicle for an improvised launch. Steve Prest, a retired Royal Navy commodore, noted, “If you’ve got a space program, you’ve got a ballistic missile program.” Israel’s army chief, however, claimed Iran had fired “a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile,” a claim Iran has not addressed.

Britain has not directly participated in U.S.-Israeli attacks but has permitted U.S. Bombers to use its bases for strikes against Iranian missile sites. On Friday, the U.K. Government authorized the use of Diego Garcia for attacks targeting sites used to threaten ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

As Iran threatens shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the United Arab Emirates joined 21 other countries, including the U.K., Germany, France, and Japan, in expressing “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage.” The Trump administration announced a temporary lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil already loaded on ships as of Friday, but this does not increase oil production. Iran’s oil ministry stated it “essentially has no crude oil left in floating storage.”

Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, asserted that Iran’s ability to attack vessels in the strait had been “degraded,” citing the use of 5,000-pound (2,270-kilogram) bombs on an underground facility along Iran’s coast used to store anti-ship cruise missiles and mobile missile launchers.

The U.S. Is deploying three more amphibious assault ships and roughly 2,500 additional Marines to the Middle East, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Two other U.S. Officials confirmed the deployment without specifying destinations.

Gulf countries reported further attacks. A missile alert sounded Saturday night in Dubai. Saudi Arabia reported downing 20 drones in its eastern region, home to major oil installations.

Iran’s state broadcaster reported that the war’s death toll has surpassed 1,500, citing the health ministry. In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian missiles, and four others have died in the occupied West Bank. At least 13 U.S. Military members have been killed, along with over a dozen civilians in Gulf nations.

Israeli troops and Hezbollah militants clashed in Lebanon. Israel’s military said it was conducting a “targeted ground operation” in southern Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of at least four militants. Hezbollah reported clashes with troops in the southern village of Khiam.

Israeli strikes targeting Hezbollah have killed more than 1,000 people and displaced over 1 million, according to the Lebanese government.