Trump Threatens Iran with Oil Takeover Unless Deal Reached by Tuesday

President Donald Trump has escalated tensions with Iran, issuing a stark warning that he may "blow everything up and take over the oil" if the country fails to reach a deal with the United States by Tuesday at 8 p.m. The statement, shared during a Sunday morning phone call with Fox News' chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst, marks another aggressive turn in Trump's approach to the ongoing conflict. "If they don't reach a deal—and soon—I'm considering blowing everything up and taking control of the oil," Trump reportedly said, according to Yingst. The warning came hours after the president posted an expletive-laden message on Truth Social, bizarrely concluding with the phrase "Praise be to Allah."

The post, published early on Easter Sunday, read: "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F***in' Strait, you crazy b*****ds, or you'll be living in Hell—JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP." The message underscores Trump's escalating rhetoric as he pushes for a resolution to the crisis over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that has been closed since the war began on February 28. Iran has vowed to block "enemy" ships from passing through, citing retaliation for U.S.-Israeli air strikes that destroyed its tallest bridge earlier this week.

The B1 bridge, which connects Tehran to the western city of Karaj, was targeted in two waves of strikes on Thursday. The second attack occurred while rescue teams were on-site helping at least 95 injured people, according to Iranian state media. The 136-meter structure, a symbol of national infrastructure, was described by Trump as a target for bringing Iran "back to the Stone Age." Now, he has shifted focus to power plants, vowing further action unless the Strait is reopened. This comes amid reports that U.S. special forces recently rescued two U.S. Air Force personnel trapped behind enemy lines during the conflict.

The daring operation, which Trump hailed as "one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History," involved hundreds of special forces, dozens of warplanes, and helicopters. One of the airmen, a highly respected colonel, was stranded for nearly two days after his F-15 was shot down over Iran on Friday. The pilot safely ejected and was rescued by military helicopters the same day, but the colonel evaded Iranian forces with the help of Reaper drones overhead. A firefight broke out during the extraction, and two of the five rescue planes were destroyed by U.S. forces to prevent capture.

Trump's return to public view came Sunday after he visited Trump National Golf Club, where he was spotted for the first time in days. Earlier, he had been holed up in the White House, "working nonstop" during the Easter holiday weekend as tensions with Iran continued to escalate, according to White House communications director Steven Cheung. The president's movements and rhetoric have drawn sharp scrutiny, particularly after his bizarre social media post referencing Islamic praise. While U.S. officials have not commented on the phrase, analysts note its uncharacteristic tone for a leader who has often framed his foreign policy as a bulwark against "radical" ideologies.

The situation remains volatile, with Iran's military and political leadership vowing to continue their defiance. As Trump's deadline looms, the world watches closely for signs of de-escalation—or further destruction. With the Strait of Hormuz still closed and power plants now on the list of potential targets, the stakes have never been higher for a region already teetering on the edge of chaos.

The harrowing ordeal of a U.S. Air Force colonel stranded deep within Iranian territory unfolded over a tense 36-hour period, marked by deception, perilous evasion, and a high-stakes rescue operation. The incident began when the pilot ejected from an F-15E fighter jet after a midair mishap, leaving him injured but mobile as he sought refuge in the rugged, mountainous terrain of Iran. According to Axios, the colonel's survival hinged on his ability to remain hidden while Iranian forces, emboldened by a $60,000 bounty for his capture, scoured the region. The regime's call for locals to seize the pilot added layers of danger, as the colonel navigated treacherous elevations of 7,000 feet, dodging both Iranian troops and the elements. His ordeal was compounded by the knowledge that failure to evade capture could mean imprisonment or worse under Iran's regime.

The U.S. military's response was swift and calculated. Intelligence reports revealed that the CIA had orchestrated a deception campaign, spreading false information that U.S. forces had already located the colonel and were moving him to safety. This ruse reportedly confused Iranian troops, buying precious time for the rescue effort. Meanwhile, American warplanes launched airstrikes to deter Iranian forces from closing in on the stranded officer. The operation's complexity was further underscored by conflicting accounts of the mission's climax: Iranian state media claimed that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and police forces had destroyed a U.S. C-130 aircraft that entered Iranian airspace to extract the colonel. However, U.S. officials countered that the aircraft had become stuck in the sand on a runway, necessitating the deployment of three additional planes to complete the evacuation. Sources cited by The New York Times confirmed that the two abandoned aircraft were destroyed to prevent their capture by Iranian forces, with an MH-6 Little Bird helicopter also reported damaged and later destroyed during the operation.

As the rescue unfolded, a violent confrontation erupted between U.S. and Iranian forces. According to reports, American special forces neutralized hundreds of Iranian soldiers and Basij militia members who attempted to interfere with the evacuation. The mission reached its conclusion just before midnight, with the colonel safely extracted. President Donald Trump, in a celebratory post on Truth Social, hailed the operation as a historic triumph, emphasizing that no American warfighter would ever be left behind. He claimed that the U.S. had deployed aircraft armed with "the most lethal weapons in the world" to secure the rescue, and that the pilot had been secretly recovered hours after the crash—a detail kept confidential to protect the second rescue effort. Trump's rhetoric framed the mission as a testament to American resolve, though critics questioned the veracity of his claims about zero casualties.

Iranian media, meanwhile, reported that five civilians were killed in the strikes during the operation, a figure the U.S. did not address publicly. The conflicting narratives underscore the murky nature of the conflict, where both sides assert victory while downplaying losses. Trump's insistence that the mission marked the first time two U.S. pilots had been rescued separately in enemy territory further fueled speculation about the operation's secrecy and the potential risks of such high-profile rescues. The incident has reignited debates over U.S. military strategy in the region, with analysts divided on whether the use of deception and overwhelming force was a necessary measure or an escalation that could provoke further retaliation.

The aftermath of the mission has left lingering questions about the true cost of the operation, the credibility of conflicting reports, and the broader implications for U.S.-Iran relations. As the colonel recovers from his injuries, the focus shifts to how the U.S. military will balance the need for such daring rescues with the risks of provoking a larger conflict. For now, the mission stands as a stark reminder of the complexities—and dangers—of operating in hostile territory, where every move is a calculated gamble between survival and sacrifice.