President Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, stating a deadline of Tuesday evening to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on critical infrastructure. The president, in an expletive-laden social media post and interviews, threatened to target Iran’s power plants and bridges, saying “they won’t have any power plants and they won’t have any bridges standing”. He reiterated a previous reminder of a 10-day window for a deal.
The threats come as the US military continues its search for an airman whose F-15E was shot down. An Iranian state television channel urged residents to report any “enemy pilot” to authorities. Trump has received updates on the rescue effort while in the White House.
Despite previous deadlines, the president has extended them before amid claims of progress in negotiations. He also stated that “civilians want me to do it”, when questioned about potential risks to the Iranian people. The president’s warnings have been met with defiance from Iran, with one official warning that the region could “burn” in response to “reckless moves”.