U.S. president warns of military escalation and infrastructure strikes if Tehran fails to reopen Hormuz Strait by looming deadline
President Donald Trump said Sunday that he is not ruling out sending U.S. ground troops to Iran if Tehran does not reach a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by a Tuesday deadline.
“No,” Trump told The Hill in a phone interview when asked whether he would rule out deploying ground forces, adding that civilian infrastructure targets also remain under consideration.
“Normal people would make a deal. Smart people would make a deal,” the president said. “If they were smart they would make a deal.”
Earlier in the day, Trump issued a stark warning on Truth Social, stating that “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” while urging the regime to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “Or you’ll be living in Hell,” he added.
In a separate post on Sunday, Trump wrote only: “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time.”
Since the conflict began, U.S. and Israeli forces have primarily conducted aerial strikes on targets inside Iran. No ground troops have been deployed so far, though Trump has repeatedly said over the past month that he is keeping the option open.
Iranian officials said Sunday they would retaliate if civilian infrastructure is targeted by the United States or Israel. There have been no public indications that Tehran is willing to negotiate reopening the Strait of Hormuz following Trump’s latest remarks.
Tehran has instead demanded an end to hostilities. Its parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, condemned Trump’s threats, accusing him of being influenced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Your reckless moves are dragging the United States into a living HELL for every single family, and our whole region is going to burn because you insist on following Netanyahu’s commands,” he wrote in a post on X.
Iran has previously threatened or carried out attacks on civilian facilities and businesses in the Middle East. Last week, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it would target U.S. technology companies, including Google, Microsoft, and Meta.
On Sunday, in response to Israeli strikes on petrochemical sites inside Iran, Tehran launched attacks on facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also claimed responsibility for striking what it described as an Israeli ship at Dubai’s Jebel Ali port.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, has effectively been shut since the conflict began on Feb. 28, sending global oil and gas prices sharply higher. Iran has attacked civilian oil tankers in the region, alleging they were supporting U.S.–Israeli operations.
The developments come as Trump announced the rescue of an American military airman in a mountainous area of Iran early Sunday, describing the mission in a social media post as “one of the most daring” in U.S. history.
