On March 22, 2026, President Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum threatening to obliterate Iran's power plants unless the Strait of Hormuz was fully reopened. Iran's Khatam Al-Anbiya command responded by threatening all energy and desalination infrastructure across the Gulf, putting drinking water for 50 million civilians at risk in countries where reserves last only days.

Iranian missiles struck Dimona and Arad near Israel's nuclear research center, wounding over 175 people. Saudi Arabia expelled Iran's military attache, ending the 2023 diplomatic rapprochement. A 22-nation coalition committed to securing the strait, while Iran offered Japan selective passage alongside China, India, and Pakistan.

Sources for this episode are available at: https://nbn.fm/war-desk/episode/ep93

About War Desk

War Desk is an investigative podcast using AI-assisted analysis of military intelligence, diplomatic signals, and conflict data to assess global war risk, with sources and references published on our website for verification.

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