In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared: "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah8."
Escalating Tensions in Week Five of Conflict
The president's message comes as the U.S.-Israel war against Iran enters its fifth week, with over 1,340 casualties reported since hostilities began on February 28, 2026 . Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz—a chokepoint for one-fifth of global oil supplies—since the conflict started, effectively holding international energy markets hostage.
Trump's 10-day deadline for Iran to negotiate or reopen the waterway is set to expire Monday, though he later extended the specific strike time to "Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time" in a follow-up post .
War Crimes Concerns
Iranian officials immediately condemned Trump's threats as potential war crimes. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi cited Article 8(2)(b) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, stating: "The American president, as the highest official of his country, has publicly threatened to commit war crimes" .
Iran's mission to the United Nations added that the threats represent "direct and public incitement to terrorise civilians and clear evidence of intent to commit war crime" .
Background: The Strait Standoff
The Strait of Hormuz, which lies within Iranian and Omani territorial waters, has historically functioned as an international waterway. Since the war began, Iran has effectively established a "toll booth" system, charging seven-figure fees to some shippers while blocking vessels linked to U.S. allies .
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that a tolling system is "not going to be allowed to happen" and confirmed the president has "a number of options available to him" to prevent it .
Military Context
Trump's threats follow a dramatic weekend that saw U.S. special forces conduct what the president called "one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History"—recovering a wounded F-15 weapons officer from deep inside Iran after their jet was shot down on Friday .
Meanwhile, regional tensions continue to spiral. The UAE reported engaging 60 Iranian drones and missiles on Sunday alone, bringing their total since the war began to nearly 2,200 drones and over 500 missiles .
What's Next
Trump told Fox News on Sunday that he believes a deal is possible by Monday, stating "I think there is a good chance tomorrow, they are negotiating now" . However, he also warned that without an agreement, "You're going to see bridges and power plants dropping all over their country" and suggested the U.S. might "blow everything up and take over the oil" .
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf responded defiantly on X: "Your reckless moves are dragging the United States into a living HELL for every single family" .
With the Tuesday deadline ticking down and both sides trading increasingly heated rhetoric, the international community watches anxiously to see whether diplomacy can prevent a dramatic escalation in attacks on civilian infrastructure.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as the situation evolves.
