Trump gives Iran 48-hour ultimatum to open Strait of Hormuz

President Trump threatened Iran with hellfire if the Mideast country does not open the Strait of Hormuz or make a ceasefire deal within 48 hours.

“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT,” he said Saturday on Truth Social. “Time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!”

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping passage, was closed by Iran in retaliation against the U.S.-Israeli attacks. The closure has rattled the global energy market.

This reiterates his March 26 warning, in which he said he would delay attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure by 10 more days in hopes of making a deal.

Mr. Trump issued the 48-hour threat last weekend, promising to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if it did not reopen the maritime chokepoint.

This newest development comes after Iran struck down two U.S. planes on Friday.

An F-15E fighter jet was shot down, and the search-and-rescue mission for a missing U.S. crew member continues. The two-person crew both ejected, but only one has been recovered, with fears growing that the second may have been captured by Iranian forces.

A second U.S. aircraft, an A-10 Warthog, was also struck by Iranian fire on Friday while supporting the recovery effort. The pilot managed to fly the damaged aircraft to Kuwaiti airspace before ejecting, and the aviator was safely recovered.

On Thursday, Mr. Trump threatened to strike more of Iran’s bridges and electrical infrastructure.

“IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, AND THERE IS NOTHING LEFT OF WHAT STILL COULD BECOME A GREAT COUNTRY!” he said Thursday night on social media following a strike hitting the B1 bridge in Karaj, a city near the capital of Tehran.

Following a request from Iran’s government, the president extended the Pentagon’s pause on striking Iranian energy infrastructure last week, moving the deadline to Monday.

Mr. Trump addressed the nation in a televised address Wednesday, promising that the conflict in Iran was “near completion.”