Trump threatens Iran hell over Hormuz as airman rescued

Source: ft.com

TL;DR

The story at a glance

US President Donald Trump issued expletive threats to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his Monday deadline, following a successful US special forces rescue of a second airman from an F-15E fighter jet shot down over Iran on Friday. The rescue, described by Trump as one of the most daring operations in US history, came amid ongoing war between the US, Israel and Iran that began with strikes on February 28. This is being reported now as the conflict enters its sixth week, with both sides hitting civilian infrastructure and mediators pushing for de-escalation. The Strait carries one-fifth of global oil trade.[[1]](https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-april-5-2026-pilot-cf4a792196259d6e9c066d0be1c57962)[[2]](https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-trump-warns-more-coming-oil-gas-strait-hormuz)

Key points

Details and context

The US-Israel war with Iran, triggered by strikes on February 28, has seen mutual attacks on military and civilian targets, including oil fields, bridges and desalination plants, raising war crimes concerns. Iran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, spiking energy prices and forcing shipping reroutes; some tankers transited recently with Iraqi/Iranian permission, but commercial traffic remains choked.

Trump has alternated threats—previously pausing energy strikes for talks—with boasts of potential oil seizures; mediators report progress on ceasefires but no breakthrough. The F-15 downing highlights risks to US air operations; Iran offered rewards for pilots and aired debris footage.

Rescue involved dozens of aircraft, special forces and CIA tracking; no US rescuer casualties reported, though 365 service members injured overall.[[2]](https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-trump-warns-more-coming-oil-gas-strait-hormuz)

Key quotes

If the article is paywalled or incomplete

The Financial Times article is paywalled with no body text accessible. This summary draws on matching reports from AP, CBS News, Reuters and other reputable outlets covering the identical events.[[1]](https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-april-5-2026-pilot-cf4a792196259d6e9c066d0be1c57962)[[2]](https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-trump-warns-more-coming-oil-gas-strait-hormuz)

Why it matters

Disruption of the Strait of Hormuz threatens one-fifth of global oil supply, already driving prices over $110/barrel and risking broader economic fallout. Consumers face higher fuel costs while businesses and investors navigate volatile energy markets; Gulf states suffer infrastructure hits. Watch Trump's Tuesday deadline and mediation talks in Oman/Pakistan, though past extensions suggest possible delays.