President Donald Trump has issued a chilling warning to Iran, stating a "whole civilisation will die tonight" unless a deal is reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The ultimatum, set for a deadline of 20:00 ET today, April 7, 2026, marks the most significant escalation in the six-week conflict that has choked global energy supplies.
The President confirmed he has authorised the military to target Iran's entire civilian infrastructure, specifically power plants and bridges, if the Islamic Republic continues its blockade of the strategic waterway. "The entire country can be taken out in one night," Mr Trump told reporters at the White House, according to The Washington Post. "We don't want that to happen, but it probably will."
The threat follows a series of expletive-laden posts on Truth Social where Mr Trump designated today as "Power Plant Day and Bridge Day". He demanded that Tehran "open the Strait" or face "living in Hell". Despite the looming deadline, the Pentagon has already confirmed pre-emptive strikes on key transport links, including a railway bridge in Kashan and infrastructure on Kharg Island.
Tehran has responded with defiance. President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the threats as "massive war crimes", while state media reported that 14 million volunteers have been called upon to form human chains around critical national assets. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any American strike would trigger a response "beyond the region," raising fears of a broader Middle Eastern conflagration.
International observers have expressed horror at the rhetoric. Legal experts speaking to The Guardian warned that targeting dual-use civilian infrastructure violates the Geneva Conventions. Meanwhile, Brent Crude prices have surged past $110 a barrel as markets price in the potential total destruction of Iranian energy capabilities.
Negotiations facilitated by Pakistan are reportedly ongoing, but Mr Trump suggested his patience has evaporated. "Forty-seven years of extortion, corruption, and death will finally end," he posted this afternoon. "We will find out tonight."