Trump: If Iran doesn't meet tonight's deadline to open Hormuz Strait 'whole civilization will die'

President Trump on Tuesday issued a dire warning to the Iranian government ahead of the 8 p.m. deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz – saying a "whole civilization will die tonight" if a deal is not reached.

"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" Trump posted on Truth Social. "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 (sic) revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? 

"We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!"

Trump has vowed to hit Iran's power plants and bridges if the deadline is not met.

The strait is a critical passage the world's oil supply. Iran has targeted ships or rival nations in an effort to disrupt the supply and drive up energy prices as a way to counter-attack U.S.-Israel air strikes that began Feb. 28.