Trump threatened to escalate strikes on Iranian infrastructure unless the Strait of Hormuz is reopened by Tuesday, following the successful rescue of two downed US aviators. <\/p>\n
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday made new, expletive-laden threats to escalate strikes on Iran and its infrastructure if it doesn\u2019t open the\u00a0Strait of Hormuz\u00a0by his deadline, after American forces rescued an aviator whose Iran-downed plane had fallen behind enemy lines,\u00a0News.Az<\/a> reports, citing\u00a0Associated Press.<\/a><\/p>\n A defiant Iran showed no sign of backing down, striking economic and infrastructure targets in neighboring Gulf Arab countries and challenging the U.S. account of the rescue.<\/p>\n In a social media post, Trump promised strikes on Iran\u2019s power plants and bridges. He vowed the \u201ccrazy bastards\u201d would be \u201cliving in Hell\u201d if the strait, a crucial waterway for global trade, isn\u2019t opened to marine traffic by Tuesday. He ended with \u201cPraise be to Allah.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump has issued such deadlines before but extended them when mediators have claimed progress toward ending the war, which has killed thousands, shaken\u00a0global markets, cut off key shipping routes and\u00a0spiked fuel prices\u00a0in just over five weeks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Both sides have threatened and hit civilian targets like oil fields and desalination plants critical for drinking water, bringing warnings of\u00a0possible war crimes.<\/p>\n The rescue of the US airman followed an intense search after Friday\u2019s crash of the F-15E Strike Eagle, while Iran had promised a reward for anyone who turned in an \u201cenemy pilot.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump said that the service member was \u201cseriously wounded and really brave\u201d and rescued from \u201cdeep inside the mountains\u201d in Iran.<\/p>\n Trump said a second crew member was rescued in \u201cbroad daylight\u201d within hours of the crash. The fighter jet was the first known American aircraft to crash in Iranian territory since the U.S. and Israel launched the war with strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.<\/p>\n