U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to "obliterate" Iran's power plants if Tehran ​does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuzwithin 48 hours, a dramatic escalation barely a day after he talked about "winding down" the war, Reuters reported. 

"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, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!" Trump said on social media.

The threat of Iranian attacks has kept most ships from getting through the strait, a narrow waterway that serves as the conduit for around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, threatening a global energy shock. Its near-closure sent European gas prices surging as much as 35% last week, according to Reuters.