Oil prices are up again on Tuesday on the heels of President Donald Trump posting on social media “a whole civilization will die tonight,” discussing Iran and his deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz. Photo by Yuri Gripas/UPI | License Photo
Oil prices are up again on Tuesday on the heels of President Donald Trump posting on social media “a whole civilization will die tonight,” discussing Iran and his deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump has given Iran a deadline of Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST, to allow vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Ahead of the deadline, he posted a warning that U.S. attacks will escalate if his deadline is not met.
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” Trump posted on social media. “I don’t want that to happen but it probably will.”
“However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?” he continued. “We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. [Forty-seven] years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!”
Over the weekend, Trump threatened to target civilian infrastructure in Iran, including power plants and bridges, if Iran does not meet his deadline.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has continued to be a point of leverage for Iran six weeks into the conflict. U.S. crude oil rose to more than $115.96 per barrel on Tuesday morning. It was about a $4 per barrel increase over the course of four hours.
Few oil tankers have been allowed passage through the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks, though the frequency has slightly ticked up.
Prior to the war, about 20 million barrels of crude oil traveled through the Strait of Hormuz each day. About 20% of the world’s seaborne oil was shipped on the strait in 2025.
As the war draws out, vulnerable countries face the possibility of energy shortages, as well as other scarcities like clean water.
In the United States, gas prices continue to climb. The average price for a gallon of regular gas on Tuesday is $4.14, AAA reports.
This week in Washington
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks during a press conference on the Trump Administration’s efforts to combat fraud at the Department of Justice Headquarters on Tuesday. Last week, President Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi over her handling of the Epstein files and the lack of investigation into individuals he felt should face criminal charges. Blanche, a former personal lawyer to Trump, will lead the Justice Department temporarily. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
