Trump threatens to strike Iran power plants if Strait of Hormuz not reopened by Tuesday evening

▲ This photo, released by AFP, shows U.S. President Donald Trump speaking during a televised address on the conflict in the Middle East at the White House in Washington on April 1, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

Trump-Iran war

Trump threatens to strike Iran power plants if Strait of Hormuz not reopened by Tuesday evening

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, April 5 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday renewed his threats to destroy Iran's power plants and bridges if the Islamic Republic does not reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz while shifting his deadline for Iran's action to Tuesday evening.

In a social media post, including expletives, Trump ratcheted up pressure on Iran to open up the strait, a crucial oil shipping route, hours after he announced the rescue of a U.S. airman who was aboard a fighter jet shot down by Iran last week.

"Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He also warned that if Iran does not open the strait, "You'll be living in Hell."

In a separate post hours later, Trump wrote, "Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!" He did not elaborate.

In a brief interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump pointed out the new deadline for Iran to open the waterway, where shipping has been seriously disrupted due to Iran's retaliatory missile and drone attacks in the midst of the war.

"We are in a position that's very strong, and that country will take 20 years to rebuild, if they're lucky, if they have a country," he was quoted by the newspaper as saying. "And if they don't do something by Tuesday evening, they won't have any power plants, and they won't have any bridges standing."

On March 21, Trump said the U.S. military would "obliterate" Iran's power plants if the country did not fully open the strait within 48 hours. Two days later, Trump ordered the postponement of the military strikes for five days, citing "productive" talks with Iran to reach a "complete" and "total" resolution of the conflict.

On March 26, Trump again extended a pause on U.S. military strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure by 10 days to 8 p.m. Monday.

The extensions came as the Trump administration seeks an exit from the war amid growing fears of a prolonged conflict with Tehran and its impact on oil prices and inflation that could affect voter sentiment ahead of the U.S. midterm elections slated for November.

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