US President Donald Trump warns Iran to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants and bridges, amid escalating Middle East conflict

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has threatened devastating strikes on Iran if it does not reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. The warning followed his announcement of a “miraculous” operation to rescue a wounded US airman from inside Iran.

Trump issued the threat in an expletive-laden post on his Truth Social platform. “Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell,” he wrote.

He declared that “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran.” Later, he told Fox News he believed there was a “good chance” Iran would agree to a deal on Monday.

The war, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has engulfed the region and convulsed the global economy. Iran has virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for oil and gas, and launched strikes on Israel and its Gulf neighbours.

Trump revealed the rescue of the “seriously wounded” airman “from deep inside the mountains of Iran”. He called it “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in US history”.

Iran said it had “foiled” the operation and distributed images appearing to show aircraft wreckage. It did not deny that US forces had extracted the airman.

US media reported details of the complex rescue. The New York Times said the weapons systems officer was equipped with a pistol, a beacon and a secure communications device.

Two transport planes were reportedly destroyed at a remote base to prevent capture. US forces then used three other planes to carry the airman and rescuers out of Iran.

Iran’s military said it destroyed four US aircraft involved in the operation. Iranian media reported five people were killed in strikes during the mission.

Trump also hailed a second, previously unconfirmed rescue of another pilot the day before. Iran has said its forces downed the fighter jet from which the crew ejected.

Critical infrastructure across the Gulf came under attack from Iran again on Sunday. Damage was reported at civilian facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Pro-Iran armed groups also carried out two attacks on US diplomatic sites in Iraq overnight. The conflict has increasingly drawn in Lebanon, where Israel has pushed ground forces into the south.

An Israeli strike on southern Lebanon’s Kfar Hatta killed a family of six and a relative, according to a civil defence source. Another strike on south Beirut killed at least four people.

The war cast a pall over Easter Sunday celebrations across the region. In Jerusalem, Israeli authorities restricted access to the Holy Sepulchre church as a security precaution.

Pope Leo XIV used his Easter blessing to urge “those who have the power to unleash wars” to “choose peace”. He criticised global indifference to “the deaths of thousands of people”.

In Iran, a strike near the Bushehr nuclear plant on Saturday killed a guard. Russia, which helps operate the facility, announced it was evacuating 198 workers and condemned the strike.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that continued attacks on the plant could lead to radioactive fallout affecting Gulf capitals. Bushehr is closer to Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar than to Tehran.

Iran has maintained an internet blackout, which communications monitor Netblocks said is now the longest nationwide shutdown in history. The judiciary also announced the execution of two men convicted of acting for Israel and the US.

 The Sun Malaysia