Iran threatens to attack Mideast electrical plants powering US bases

As the deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump to open the Strait of Hormuz nears, Iran issued a warning on Monday about potentially attacking electrical plants in the Middle East that supply power to American military bases. This announcement came from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and is seen as part of Tehran's ongoing effort to justify its actions against Gulf Arab nations. Iranian state television broadcast the statement on Monday morning. It declared, “We have made it clear that if our power plants are attacked, Iran will respond by targeting the power plants of the occupying regime and those in regional countries that provide electricity to U.S. bases, along with the economic, industrial, and energy infrastructure where Americans have investments.” The statement referred to Israel as an “occupying regime” and asserted, “Do not doubt that we will do this.” Trump warned early Sunday that if Iranian attacks on shipping continue to keep the strait closed, the U.S. would strike Iranian power plants within 48 hours.