In a post on his social medial platform Truth Social, Trump said, "Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them."
The fresh threat was a reminder of his earlier ultimatum to Tehran, just one day ahead of his April 6 deadline, extended for the Easter weekend from an initial March 27 deadline, when he had threatened to bomb Iranian power plants if Tehran failed to meet U.S. demands.
Trump has ratcheted up his threats almost every other day, further escalating tensions with Iran. Earlier last week, he warned, "If the Hormuz Strait is not immediately open for business, we will conclude our lovely stay in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their-electric generating plants, oil wells and Kharg Island."
The warning was followed by another threat during a televised prime-time address just two days later. "We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We are going to bring them back to the Stone Age, where they belong," he said.
With the April 6 deadline now hours away, the world is watching nervously. Iran has shown no sign of backing down, and the strait - a vital chokepoint for about 20 percent of the global oil supply, remains largely closed, continuing to strain energy supplies, drive up oil and gas prices, and fuel financial market uncertainty.
Iran has selectively allowed certain vessels - especially those carrying essential or humanitarian goods - to pass through the waterway, but Western tankers remain largely blocked or restricted.
The Middle East crisis is worsening with no end in sight, as U.S. special and ground forces have reportedly crossed into Iran following the downing of a fighter jet last Friday, engaging in high-risk missions including searching for missing personnel, raising fears that the conflict could become prolonged and far more costly.
Meanwhile, Trump said a U.S. crew member who went missing after the F‑15 fighter jet carrying a two-person crew was shot down by Iranian forces was saved early Sunday morning, two days after the jet's pilot was rescued.
Hailing the operation as one of the "most daring search and rescue missions in U.S. history," he said, "The U.S. Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the World, to retrieve him. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine."
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