President Donald Trump has threatened to completely destroy Iran’s power plants should the Islamic Republic fail to open the Strait of Hormuz in the next 48 hours.

Since February 28, U.S. and Israeli forces have launched Operation Epic Fury attacks on Iran, killing Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials. Iran has fought back, firing several missiles at U.S. bases in Gulf countries and shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, triggering a surge in global oil and gas prices.

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Mr Trump gave Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz or have its power plants destroyed.

“If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS,” Mr Trump said.

The American president said its forces would begin by destroying Iran’s biggest power plant should the Islamic Republic fail to open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.

The UK, France, Germany and 19 other countries have jointly condemned Iran for attacking commercial vessels, installations and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid hostilities with the U.S. and Israel.

Despite the surge in global oil and gas prices as a result of lingering hostilities between the U.S., Israel and Iran, Iran has shut down the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow ocean passageway connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, through which about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas is transported, for four weeks.

Experts have predicted that continued blockades of the Strait of Hormuz could see oil prices, currently at $100 per barrel, rise to $200 per barrel.