Trump Says “A Whole Civilization Will Die Tonight”

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to annihilate Iran’s entire civilization if its government failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The post followed remarks at the White House on Monday, where Trump told reporters “the entire country could be taken out in one night” and repeated threats to strike Iran’s energy infrastructure and bridges if the strait remained closed. Last Thursday, he claimed responsibility for strikes on one of Iran’s tallest bridges, which had previously connected two cities.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Navy said Monday the waterway “will never return to its previous state” for the US and its allies.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply passes. Its closure has already driven up global energy prices. Even Belize, thousands of miles away, saw its third fuel price increase on Easter Sunday.

In recent weeks, several Asian countries, including Pakistan, India, and the Philippines, have made agreements with Iran to allow some ships safe passage. China has also acknowledged its vessels are using the channel.

As of Tuesday morning, no deal had been reached and no ceasefire was in sight.