{"id":52687,"date":"2026-04-05T13:45:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T13:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/52687\/"},"modified":"2026-04-05T13:45:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T13:45:09","slug":"the-latest-trump-threatens-to-strike-irans-infrastructure-if-strait-of-hormuz-isnt-reopened-associated-press","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/52687\/","title":{"rendered":"The Latest: Trump threatens to strike Iran’s infrastructure if Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened | Associated Press"},"content":{"rendered":"

U.S. President Donald Trump<\/a> on Sunday stepped up his threat to hit Iran’s critical infrastructure hard if the country’s government doesn\u2019t reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his Monday deadline.<\/p>\n

Trump punctuated his threat with profanity in a social media post Sunday, saying that Tuesday will be \u201cPower Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also offered details of the rescue of a \u201cseriously wounded and really brave\u201d U.S. service member he identified as a \u201crespected colonel\u201d who was missing since Iran shot down a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle on Friday.<\/p>\n

The U.S. president said the rescue was a rarely attempted type of operation because of the potential dangers. A second crew member was rescued earlier in \u201cbroad daylight\u201d after seven hours over Iran.<\/p>\n

The war began with joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Feb. 28 and has killed thousands, shaken global markets<\/a>, cut off key shipping routes and spiked fuel prices<\/a>. Both sides have threatened, and hit, civilian targets, bringing warnings of possible war crimes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here is the latest:<\/p>\n

Turkish foreign minister to meet with Syrian and Ukrainian presidents<\/p>\n

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrived in Damascus Sunday, with Turkish media reporting that he will hold a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.<\/p>\n

According to state-run Anadolu Agency, topics of discussion will include joint projects for the rebuilding of Syria as well as regional developments, such as the integration of northeast Syria into the central government and the impact of nearby conflicts in Iran and Lebanon.<\/p>\n

Fidan\u2019s last visit to Syria was on Dec. 22, 2025, alongside Defense Minister Yasar Guler and National Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin.<\/p>\n

Christians celebrate Easter in wartime Tehran<\/p>\n

Armenian Christians celebrated Easter at a church in Iran\u2019s capital on Sunday, striving to maintain a sense of normalcy five weeks into the war.<\/p>\n

Families embraced and children exchanged painted eggs at the St. Sarkis Cathedral in central Tehran. Iran\u2019s capital has been targeted by daily airstrikes since the United States and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether we like it or not, we have young children who do not understand what\u2019s going on,\u201d said Juanita Arakel, 40, an English language teacher. \u201cThey just need to feel normal.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Islamic Republic, with a population of around 90 million, is home to some 300,000 Christians, mostly Armenians, and three seats in parliament are reserved for Christians.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy appeal first is to those who started the war to look up to the sky where love and mutual respect was given to us, whether through the birth of Jesus or his rising from the dead,\u201d said Sepuh Sargsyan, the archbishop of the Armenian Diocese of Tehran. \u201cOur calls and prayers are that we will be able to end this war.\u201d<\/p>\n

Across the Middle East, Christians have departed in large numbers in recent decades, fleeing war, persecution and upheaval, and seeking economic opportunities in the West.<\/p>\n

Arakel said her family wants to stay in Iran, but that will depend on the war\u2019s consequences. \u201cMaybe we will be forced to leave Iran, but if it\u2019s up to us, and it\u2019s our choice, we prefer to stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump offers details of \u2018seriously wounded\u2019 pilot’s rescue<\/p>\n

U.S. President Donald Trump said the rescue of the second F-15 pilot was a rarely attempted type of operation because of the potential dangers.<\/p>\n

Trump said in a social media post Sunday that the pilot was \u201cseriously wounded and really brave\u201d and rescued from \u201cdeep inside the mountains\u201d in Iran.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Iranian Military was looking hard, in big numbers, and getting close,\u201d Trump wrote. \u201cHe is a highly respected Colonel.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also gave details of the rescue of the first pilot, who Trump said was rescued in \u201cbroad daylight\u201d after seven hours over Iran.<\/p>\n

Trump promises to strike Iran\u2019s infrastructure on Tuesday if Strait of Hormuz isn\u2019t reopened<\/p>\n

U.S. President Donald Trump is hardening his threats to strike Iran\u2019s critical infrastructure if the government in Tehran doesn\u2019t reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his Monday deadline.<\/p>\n

In a profanity-laced social media post Sunday, Trump says Tuesday will be \u201cPower Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it.\u201d<\/p>\n

His direct message to Iran\u2019s leaders is, \u201cOpen the F—— Strait, you crazy b——-, or you\u2019ll be living in HELL \u2013 JUST WATCH.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Republican president has threatened widespread destruction of Iran\u2019s energy resources and other vital infrastructure, potentially including desalination plants that supply drinking water, if the vital waterway doesn\u2019t reopen.<\/p>\n

Iran threatens more forceful attacks if its civilian installations are targeted<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s joint command threatened on Sunday to step up its attacks on oil and other civilian infrastructure facilities if the U.S. and Israel attack Iranian civilian facilities.<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s state-run news agency quoted the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters as saying that it had attacked a number of other oil infrastructure facilities in Israel and in Gulf Arab countries after an Israeli airstrike struck Iran\u2019s largest petrochemical complex.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe once again repeat: if you commit aggression again and strike civilian facilities, our responses will be more forceful,\u201d the IRNA news agency quoted a spokesman.<\/p>\n

President Donald Trump has threatened to unleash \u201call Hell\u201d on Iran if the Strait of Hormuz isn\u2019t reopened.<\/p>\n

Iran says it destroyed 4 US aircraft<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s joint command claimed on Sunday that the aircraft were destroyed during the complex rescue of an airman whose fighter jet was shot down on Friday.<\/p>\n

Iran’s state TV quoted the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters as saying the aircraft, which included two C-130 military transport aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters, were destroyed in the province of Isfahan, where the rescue took place.<\/p>\n

Earlier Sunday, Iran\u2019s state TV aired a video showing what it claims are parts of a U.S. aircraft that they had shot down and a photo of thick black smoke rising into the air.<\/p>\n

The claims could not be independently verified.<\/p>\n

Israeli strike severely damages 3-story building in Beirut neighborhood<\/p>\n

Lebanon\u2019s state-run National News Agency said the building in the Jnah neighborhood was filled with residents and sustained \u201csevere damage.\u201d<\/p>\n

It’s located across the street from the government-run Rafic Hariri University Hospital.<\/p>\n

The strike came without warning soon after an earlier one that came with advance notice.<\/p>\n

Casualties were rushed to nearby hospitals, but there was no immediate word on their number.<\/p>\n

UAE reports attacks with dozens of missiles and drones<\/p>\n

The United Arab Emirates\u2019 Defense Ministry said on Sunday that among the 60 projectiles fired at the country were nine ballistic missiles, 50 drones and one cruise missile.<\/p>\n

This brings the total number of projectiles that have targeted the UAE during the war to 507 ballistic missiles, 24 cruise missiles, and 2,191 drones.<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s internet blackout becomes the world\u2019s longest<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s internet blackout is now the world\u2019s longest nation-scale internet shutdown on record, according to an internet monitoring group.<\/p>\n

NetBlocks said Sunday the internet blackout in Iran has lasted for 37 consecutive days, exceeding all other comparable incidents the group has recorded.<\/p>\n

Drone attacks ignite fires at oil and petrochemical facilities in Kuwait<\/p>\n

The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said the drone attacks ignited fires at several of the company\u2019s operational facilities, as well as to facilities at the Petrochemical Industries Company.<\/p>\n

Damage was described as \u201csignificant.\u201d Firefighters were working to control the fires.<\/p>\n

No casualties were reported.<\/p>\n

Israel says Iran has launched new missile barrage<\/p>\n

The Israeli military said on Sunday that its air defenses are being activated.<\/p>\n

Israeli military says it struck 120 targets in Iran in 24 hours<\/p>\n

The Israeli military said on Sunday the strikes focused on air defense, drone and missile systems.<\/p>\n

The announcement comes in the wake of Iran\u2019s downing of two U.S. warplanes.<\/p>\n

Officials from Iran and Oman discuss transit through the Strait of Hormuz<\/p>\n

The Omani Foreign Ministry posted on social media Sunday that deputy foreign ministers and experts from both countries met to discuss \u201ca number of visions and proposals\u201d to ensure \u201csmooth transit\u201d through the strait.<\/p>\n

Oman has often served as a mediator between the US and Iran in the past.<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s meeting came two days before U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s renewed deadline for Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz was due to expire.<\/p>\n

Trump had warned of \u201cdevastating consequences\u201d if Iran doesn\u2019t comply by Monday.<\/p>\n

4-year-old girl among 7 killed in Israeli strike in southern Lebanon<\/p>\n

Lebanon\u2019s Health Ministry\u2019s statement Sunday was issued after Israel struck the town of Kfar Hatta near the coastal city of Sidon.<\/p>\n

The Israeli military had called on the entire town late Saturday to evacuate.<\/p>\n

Kfar Hatta hosts many displaced people who fled from southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n

Iranian drones attack Bahrain petrochemical plant<\/p>\n

Bahrain\u2019s official news agency said Sunday the attack ignited fires in two units at the state-run petrochemical plant.<\/p>\n

According to the Bahrain News Agency, which cited the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company, firefighters have placed the fire under control and authorities were assessing the damage.<\/p>\n

Iran says 10 killed, 7 injured from strikes in country\u2019s southwest<\/p>\n

Nournews, a media outlet believed to have close links with Iranian security forces, reported on Sunday that the strikes occurred in Dehdasht county and the Vezq district, around 360 miles (580 kilometers) south of Tehran.<\/p>\n

Nournews didn\u2019t specify if those killed included military personnel, but said two were tourists.<\/p>\n

Media reports had said on Friday that a U.S. pilot who went missing after his aircraft was shot down may have been in the same areas where the strikes happened.<\/p>\n

Nournews didn\u2019t say if the deaths were linked to a rescue operation for the U.S. pilot.<\/p>\n

Egypt\u2019s foreign minister discusses ways to de-escalate day before Trump\u2019s Hormuz deadline expires<\/p>\n

Minister Badr Abdelatty has spoken by phone with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as well as with his Turkish and Pakistani counterparts who are also helping mediate between the U.S. and Iran.<\/p>\n

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that Abdelatty discussed a day earlier \u201cideas and proposals to achieve the required calm\u201d and warned of an \u201cunprecedented explosion\u201d in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t elaborate further.<\/p>\n

U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his threats for Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz by Monday or face devastating consequences.<\/p>\n

Hezbollah says it attacked an Israeli military barge with a cruise missile<\/p>\n

The militant group said in a statement on Sunday that the barge was some 78 miles (126 kilometers) away from the Lebanese coast.<\/p>\n

Although most Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in this latest war have been conducted by jets and drones, some have come by sea.<\/p>\n

The Israeli military did not immediately issue a statement.<\/p>\n

Production halted at a United Arab Emirates petrochemicals plant after attack<\/p>\n

Authorities in Abu Dhabi said Sunday that they have responded to multiple fires at the Borouge petrochemicals plant.<\/p>\n

They said the fires were caused by falling debris following successful interceptions by air defense systems.<\/p>\n

The plant is in Ruwais, near the UAE\u2019s western border with Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

It is a joint venture of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. and Borealis of Austria.<\/p>\n

Pakistan, Iran foreign ministers discuss de-escalation of war<\/p>\n

Pakistan\u2019s Foreign Ministry said Sunday that it had conveyed to Iran\u2019s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that Islamabad supports \u201call efforts aimed at de-escalation.\u201d<\/p>\n

It said in a statement that the two diplomats exchanged views on the evolving regional situation and agreed to remain in close contact.<\/p>\n

Pakistan is currently helping to broker a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran by offering to host peace talks.<\/p>\n

Iran says it has shot down 3 more U.S. aircraft<\/p>\n

Iran\u2019s state TV on Sunday quoted a statement from the country\u2019s joint military command that two Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport aircraft had been shot down in the city of Isfahan.<\/p>\n

The statement said the aircraft were taking part in a failed rescue operation for a U.S. pilot.<\/p>\n

The state broadcaster showed still images of an aircraft as well as a long-distance shot of a column of dark smoke rising from a desert area.<\/p>\n

The pilot had been missing since Friday when Iran downed a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle. A second crew member had been rescued earlier.<\/p>\n

U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to questions about the aircraft.<\/p>\n

A regional intelligence official briefed on the mission said the U.S. military blew up two transport planes due to a technical malfunction that forced them to bring in additional aircraft to complete the rescue.<\/p>\n

He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the covert mission.<\/p>\n

Aid groups warn that Iran war has hindered food and medicine delivery to millions<\/p>\n

Aid groups say that more people will suffer if the violence continues,<\/a> as the conflict is also disrupting supply chains and forcing them to use costlier, more time-consuming routes.<\/p>\n

Key pathways such as the Strait of Hormuz have been effectively cut off and flights from strategic hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi have spiked in cost with higher fuel and insurance rates.<\/p>\n

This means fewer supplies can be delivered with the same amount of money, further straining humanitarian response in conflict-hit countries across the region.<\/p>\n

The U.N. food agency warns that if the conflict continues through June, 45 million more people will be acutely hungry, adding to nearly 320 million people facing hunger around the world.<\/p>\n

Drone attack strikes government office complex in Kuwait<\/p>\n

Kuwait\u2019s Finance Ministry said Sunday\u2019s drone attack resulted in \u201csignificant damage\u201d to its office complex in Kuwait City.<\/p>\n

It said no casualties were reported.<\/p>\n

Iranian drone attack takes out water desalination plant and 2 power plants in Kuwait<\/p>\n

Kuwait\u2019s Electricity Ministry said in a statement Sunday that damage to the facilities was \u201csignificant.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ministry said the attack resulted in two power generation units being taken out of service.<\/p>\n

No injuries were reported.<\/p>\n

Bahrain\u2019s petroleum company says Iranian drone set fire to one of its storage tanks<\/p>\n

BAPCO Energies said in a statement Sunday that the fire was extinguished and that no injuries were reported.<\/p>\n

It said emergency response teams responded immediately in close coordination with authorities to contain the fire.<\/p>\n

It added that damage to the storage facilities is now being assessed.<\/p>\n

Iran executes 2 men who took part in January protests<\/p>\n

Mizan Online, a media outlet for Iran’s judiciary, said on Saturday that Mohammad Ami Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast had been convicted on charges of taking part in an attack on a military facility, setting fire to it and attempting to reach its arms depot.<\/p>\n

It said the two men were hanged after the country\u2019s Supreme Court upheld a lower court death sentence.<\/p>\n

A crackdown on nationwide protests in January resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and the arrests of thousands more.<\/p>\n

Rescues kept secret to avoid risk to operation<\/p>\n

U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States didn\u2019t confirm the rescue of the first aviator from the F-15 fighter jet that was shot down in Iran on Friday \u201cbecause we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his social media post early Sunday, Trump said the second aviator \u201cwas behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump says service member rescued in Iran is injured<\/p>\n

U.S. President Donald Trump said a service member rescued in Iran is injured but \u201cwill be just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump said in a social media post early Sunday that the aviator took refuge \u201cin the treacherous mountains of Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the rescue involved \u201cdozens of aircraft\u201d and that the U.S. had been monitoring his location \u201c24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue.\u201d<\/p>\n

US service member missing in Iran rescued<\/p>\n

U.S. officials say a service member missing after Iran shot down a fighter jet has been rescued.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of an official announcement.<\/p>\n

It comes after a frantic search-and-rescue operation. The crew member had been missing since Friday, when Iran downed a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle. A second crew member had been rescued earlier.<\/p>\n

By Matthew Lee and Konstantin Toropin<\/p>\n

Senegal limits foreign trips for officials as the fallout from Iran war deepens<\/p>\n

The country banned all but essential foreign trips for government ministers as part of cost-saving measures triggered by the energy crisis linked to the war.<\/p>\n

Senegal, like many African countries<\/a>, imports most of the petroleum products it consumes. That leaves its economy vulnerable to supply disruptions such as the chokehold on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which has sent the price of crude soaring.<\/p>\n

Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said his office is taking steps to limit public expenditure, pointing out that initial budget forecasts were based on an oil price of $62 per barrel. It is now almost double that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have taken a number of drastic measures to restrict everything related to government spending, including the cancellation of all nonessential missions abroad,\u201d the government-owned newspaper Le Soleil quoted Sonko as saying.<\/p>\n

He added that he canceled several trips, including to Niger, Spain and France.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday stepped up his threat to hit Iran’s critical infrastructure hard if the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":52688,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[2276,3368,197,18107,102,21156,196,768,81,101,2081,302,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-52687","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-strait-of-hormuz","8":"tag-energy-markets","9":"tag-fires","10":"tag-general-news","11":"tag-government-budgets","12":"tag-hormuz","13":"tag-iran-israel-us-lebanon-latest-april-5-2026","14":"tag-iran-war","15":"tag-military-and-defense","16":"tag-politics","17":"tag-strait-of-hormuz","18":"tag-strikes","19":"tag-transportation-and-shipping","20":"tag-world-news"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@iran\/116352406163418925","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52687"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52687\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}