US President Donald Trump issued a profanity-laden threat on social media, warning Iran that he would destroy its power plants and bridges if it fails to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping by his Tuesday deadline. Trump repeated an earlier threat to unleash 'hell', stating that Iran would 'be living in Hell' otherwise. He demanded, 'Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards', in a post that included religious references, highlighting the escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf region.
The threat came after Trump announced the successful rescue of the second crew member from a US F15 fighter jet downed over Iran, following an operation in hostile territory. In interviews with US media, Trump allegedly claimed there was a 'good chance' of a deal being reached, but he purportedly considered 'blowing everything up and taking over the oil' if a war-ending agreement is not swiftly achieved. He later extended the deadline, posting 'Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!', an apparent delay from the original Monday expiration.
Iran mocked Trump's ultimatum, dismissing it as a 'helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid action'. General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of Iran's central military command responded that 'the gates of hell will open' for the US leader. Meanwhile, Israel, a key ally of the US regime, has attacked civilian Iranian infrastructure, with a petrochemical facility hit on Saturday, and defense officials claim it awaits US approval to strike more energy facilities next week, raising fears of further regional destabilization.
The confrontation unfolds against the backdrop of over a month of war in the Gulf, where Iran has responded to US and Israeli airstrikes with attacks on Arab allies. Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led to skyrocketing global oil prices and concerns about higher inflation worldwide, exacerbating economic pressures. Trump initially set deadlines in March for Iran to reopen the strait, reaffirming this demand in his recent social media post, which critics argue highlights the erratic and aggressive foreign policy of the US administration.
Iran has continued to fire drones and missiles at Israel and US Gulf allies, with a ballistic missile striking a residential building in Haifa, Israel, on Sunday, injuring four people. Authorities in Abu Dhabi reported fires at a Borouge petrochemical facility caused by debris from an Iranian missile, while Kuwait said Iranian drone strikes severely damaged oil and petrochemical facilities, and Bahrain saw industrial and fuel plants targeted. These incidents underscore the widespread humanitarian and economic costs of the conflict, driven largely by US-led interventions.
Source: www.bbc.com