President Trump issued a profanity-laden social media post Sunday warning Iran about the Strait of Hormuz, as conflict in the region continues to escalate. Trump also touted a U.S. military rescue mission inside Iran, claiming a U.S. Air Force officer was rescued after evading capture for more than a day.
Trump praises US rescue operation
Trump threatened Iran over the strategic waterway in a Truth Social post, writing: “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” and adding, “Open the F***in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!”
Trump also said U.S. forces rescued a colonel, a weapons officer, who was shot down in Iran, after evading capture for more than a day in enemy territory. He claimed the operation involved dozens of aircraft.
Three rescue aircraft were hit by Iranian fire, according to a U.S. official. One was an A-10 Warthog, and two helicopters were also hit, but were able to return to base.
Numerous videos showed planes and helicopters resembling American search and rescue aircraft flying in southwestern Iran. One video was geolocated to a bridge in the province of Khuzestan.
Trump lauded the rescues as proof of “overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies,” a claim some analysts question, as the pilots were initially shot down.
The two fighter jets were the first shot down in more than twenty years, the last being in 2003 during the war in Iraq.
In mid-March, a U.S. F-35 aircraft was hit by a missile, causing significant damage and injuring the pilot.
Since the war with Iran started six weeks ago, 13 U.S. service members have died in airstrikes and an aircraft refueling crash in Iraq. An attack on a Saudi airbase left more than a dozen U.S. troops wounded, several seriously.
Israel helped with rescue
An Israeli military official, speaking anonymously, said Israel shared intelligence with the U.S. and halted Israeli strikes in the search area during the rescue operation.
Israel is now focusing on targeting Iran’s steel and petrochemical industries.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli military strikes have destroyed the majority of Iran’s steel manufacturing capabilities. Israel also said it bombed a petrochemical complex used for missile production Saturday.
Easter airstrikes in Lebanon
In Lebanon, Easter services were held alongside funerals after Israel launched strikes across the country, targeting areas in the south, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Russia evacuates Iran power plant staff
Russia says it is continuing to evacuate its staff from Iran’s lone operational nuclear power plant amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli attacks. Iran has accused the U.S. and Israel of repeatedly targeting Bushehr.
Rosatom’s Alexey Likhachev said nearly 200 Russian workers departed the Bushehr nuclear facility by bus, and were en route out of Iran. He suggested a full withdrawal was now imminent.
The United Nation’s International Atomic Energy Agency has expressed “deep concern” over continued fighting near the facility, though there have been no registered spikes in radiation levels.
Trump starts countdown to Strait of Hormuz deadline
Trump wrote on social media Saturday that Iran was running out of time to open up the Strait of Hormuz.
“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT,” Trump wrote.
“Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign [sic] down on them.”
The deadline expires on Monday. Trump has given Iran several deadlines since the war began, but has revised them in the past.
Greg Myre in Washington, Daniel Estrin and Itay Stern in Tel Aviv, Lauren Frayer in Beirut, Charles Maynes in Moscow, Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg, Willem Marx and Robbie Griffiths in London contributed to reporting.
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