Trump’s ultimatum: Iran conflict nears humanitarian crisis over Strait of Hormuz

After issuing a 48-hour ultimatum threatening to “hit and obliterate” Iranian power plants, President Donald Trump has pushed the war with Iran into a phase that now feels close to a humanitarian disaster. If Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Washington has signalled that it is prepared to strike energy facilities that millions of ordinary Iranians depend on every single day. Iran has responded by warning that it will retaliate against the infrastructure that keeps entire societies functioning across the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global chokepoint through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s…