WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump issued new, expletive-filled threats on Sunday, warning of increased strikes on Iran and its infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not opened by his deadline, following the rescue of a U.S. aviator whose plane was downed by Iran.
Iran remained defiant, targeting infrastructure in Gulf Arab countries and disputing the U.S. version of the rescue.
Trump threatened on social media to attack Iran’s power plants and bridges, warning that the nation would experience severe consequences if the waterway, vital for global trade, was not accessible to marine traffic by Tuesday. He concluded the post with “Praise be to Allah.”
While Trump has previously set such deadlines, he has extended them if mediators report progress towards resolving the conflict, which has led to thousands of deaths, disrupted global markets, and increased fuel prices over more than five weeks.
Both nations have targeted civilian sites, including oil fields and desalination plants crucial for water supply, raising concerns about possible war crimes.
Amnesty International leader Agnes Callamard criticized Trump’s threat on social media, labeling it “revolting,” and warning that Iranian civilians would suffer first from any destruction of power plants and bridges.
U.S. describes a dramatic rescue
The U.S. aviator’s rescue followed a determined search after an F-15E Strike Eagle crashed on Friday. Iran offered a reward for those who captured the “enemy pilot.”
Trump described the rescued service member as “seriously wounded and really brave,” detailing their extraction from “deep inside the mountains” and noting another crew member was rescued in “broad daylight” shortly after the crash.
A senior U.S. official, speaking anonymously, explained that the CIA had circulated false information in Iran about the pilot’s location, leading to confusion among Iranian officials.
This incident marks the first known crash of a U.S. aircraft in Iran since the U.S. and Israel commenced the war on February 28.
Iran also shot down another U.S. military aircraft, highlighting the dangers of the bombing campaign and Iran’s capacity to retaliate. The status of the U.S. A-10 attack aircraft’s crew and the crash site remain unknown.
On Sunday, Iranian state television broadcast footage purportedly showing wreckage from U.S. aircraft shot down by Iranian forces, accompanied by images of thick, black smoke. The broadcaster claimed Iran had downed a transport plane and two helicopters involved in the rescue mission.
However, a regional intelligence official familiar with the mission told The Associated Press that the U.S. blew up two transport planes due to a technical fault and deployed additional aircraft to complete the rescue. This official also spoke on condition of anonymity.
According to state television, Iran’s military joint command stated that four U.S. aircraft were destroyed in the operation and warned of increased retaliatory strikes on regional oil and civilian infrastructure if the U.S. and Israel target Iranian facilities.
A spokesman warned, “If you commit aggression again and strike civilian facilities, our responses will be more forceful,” as reported by the IRNA news agency.
Legal experts clarify that attacks on civilian infrastructure are permissible under the laws of armed conflict only if the military benefit surpasses civilian harm, setting a high standard. Causing undue suffering to civilians may amount to a war crime.
Alex Brandon/AP Photo/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Diplomatic efforts continue
The deadline set by Trump for 9 p.m. EDT Monday (0100 GMT Tuesday) underscores concerns over Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for oil and gas shipments from the Persian Gulf to Europe and Asia, as well as for humanitarian supplies. Some ships have paid Iran for passage.
Diplomatic efforts are still underway.
Oman’s Foreign Ministry reported that deputy foreign ministers and experts from Iran and Oman convened to discuss proposals for ensuring “smooth transit” through the strait. Oman frequently acts as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran.
Egypt stated that Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty engaged in phone discussions with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Turkish and Pakistani counterparts involved in mediation efforts.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry communicated to Araghchi that Islamabad backs “all efforts aimed at de-escalation.” The ministry added that it would soon host talks between the U.S. and Iran.
However, an escalation might lead Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen to resume attacks on vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a vital waterway linked to the Suez Canal.
Iran attacks Gulf infrastructure and economic targets
In Kuwait, Iranian drone strikes inflicted severe damage on power plants and a petrochemical facility, also disabling a water desalination station, according to the Ministry of Electricity.
In Bahrain, a drone attack ignited a fire at a national oil company storage site and a state petrochemical plant, reported the kingdom’s official news agency.
In the United Arab Emirates, authorities tackled fires at a Ruwais petrochemical plant, attributed to intercepted debris, which halted operations.
The strikes followed an Israeli attack on a significant petrochemical plant in Iran, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said generated funds for the war.
The petrochemical sector transforms oil and gas into products like plastics and fertilizers.
Meanwhile, more than 1,900 people have died in Iran since the war began.
In Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, over two dozen people have died, while 19 fatalities have been reported in Israel, and 13 U.S. service members have lost their lives. In Lebanon, over 1,400 people have been killed, and more than 1 million individuals have been displaced. Ten Israeli soldiers have died there.
Metz reported from Jerusalem and Magdy from Cairo. Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.
