With the airstrikes on Iran continuing into a fourth week, President Trump’s patience is wearing thin.

The  Leader of the Free World announced that the conflict would be over in four weeks, Iran is putting up resistance and insists it will never surrender.

President Trump called on allies to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz and join with the U.S. and Israel in overthrowing Iran’s Islamic regime.

Allies did not heed his call. 

Last week, oil hit US$110 a barrel, and the conflict is set to continue for some time.

Iran has launched retaliatory air strikes on Israel and a number of Gulf States, thus broadening this turmoil beyond Persia into a regional war.

Yesterday, President Trump took to his Truth Social media platform and wrote: “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.”

That gives Iran until Monday night our time to open the Strait and let seafaring vessels of all nationalities go through. Will Iran quiver in fear and comply with President Trump’s demand? We do not have too long to wait and see what happens.

It was believed that President Trump was looking for de-escalation, an off-ramp, claim victory and get out of Iran-Mission Accomplished.

This latest broadside spells perhaps the beginning of World War III, started on social media.

The Gulf States are calling for the air strikes on their territories to end as Iran continues to  target their energy installations. Already, visitors and ex-pats are leaving Dubai and Qatar in droves as the bombs keep dropping.

In response to Trump’s ultimatum, Iran state media put out a release that read: “ Any escalation would trigger Iran’s multi-layered retaliation, targeting regional assets, causing broader economic, social and environmental crises.

“The doctrine of our armed forces has changed from defensive to offensive. New surprises are on the way.

“In the event of even the smallest attack on Iran’s electrical infrastructure, the entire region will be plunged into darkness…70% to 80% of major power plants are along the Persian Gulf  coast….all within Iran’s deterrence range.”

Iran is controlling the Strait of Hormuz of which 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply travels through. It says it is not allowing  “enemy-linked vessels” -the U.S. and its allies’ ships – to pass through. Some countries’ ships are allowed to go through without fear of being attacked.

The events in the Middle East could lead to global inflation and will unsettle many economies. President Trump has indicated he will be putting boots on the ground in the region, thereby dragging the U.S. into another prolonged war there.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf issued a chilling warning which the entire world must pay attention to.

“Immediately after power plants and infrastructure in our country are targeted, vital infrastructure as well as energy oil infrastructure across the entire region will be considered legitimate targets and will be irreversibly destroyed.”

A diplomatic solution must be found quickly to ensure these airstrikes do not turn into a global war that unleashes weaponry that sees “End of Days”.

British Member of Parliament Steve Reed said, “ We’re not going to be dragged into the war, but we will protect our own interests in the region.  We will work with our allies to de-escalate the situation.”