By Lucia I Suarez Sang
Updated on: April 4, 2026 / 7:41 PM EDT / CBS News
President Trump warned Iran it has 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face “all Hell” descending on the country.
On Truth Social, Mr. Trump wrote, “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!” The post followed a prime-time address in which he said, “we’ve beat and completely decimated Iran,” adding that Iran was “decimated both militarily and economically” and that “their radar is 100% annihilated. We are unstoppable as a military force.”
Iran’s central military command rejected the threat. Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, speaking for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, called Mr. Trump’s message “a helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid action,” and warned in similar religious terms that “the simple meaning of this message is that the gates of hell will open for you.”
The war, which began with joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Feb. 28, has killed thousands, disrupted global markets, closed key shipping routes and raised fuel prices. Newly released Pentagon figures show a total of 365 American service members have been injured as part of U.S. operations against Iran.
Mr. Trump had earlier threatened on March 21 to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants, starting with its largest, unless Iran “FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS.” Two days later he said “very good and productive conversations” were underway with Iranian authorities and postponed any strikes on power plants for five days; he later extended the deadline to April 6.
Mediators from Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt are working to bring the U.S. and Iran back to the negotiating table in Pakistan and reportedly are seeking a compromise to end the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, signaled willingness to join talks.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham praised the ultimatum, saying a “massive military operation awaits Iran if they choose poorly” and asserting that the regime has been “severely crippled through Operation Epic Fury.”
The president’s statement came as U.S. forces searched for a missing crew member from an F-15F fighter jet shot down by Iran on Friday; one of the two-person crew was rescued. Iranian state media also reported a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed after being hit by Iranian defenses. The downing marked the first time the U.S. lost an aircraft in Iranian territory during the war. Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, a former F-16 pilot, noted the last U.S. fighter jet lost in combat was an A-10 during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.