US President Donald Trump on Saturday vowed to rain “hell” on Iran if it fails to reach a ceasefire deal or open the Strait of Hormuz by Monday, when time runs out on an ultimatum that he has extended twice.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike Iran’s power grid if Tehran fails to comply with US demands. On Saturday, a senior Israeli defense official said Israel was preparing to attack Iranian energy facilities, likely within the next week, but was awaiting a green light from the US.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump warn, “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 [sic] down on them. Glory be to GOD!”

Trump first threatened on March 21 to strike Iran’s power grid if it did not agree to a US ceasefire proposal within 48 hours. Hours before the deadline on March 23, he pushed it off by five days, to last Saturday, saying ceasefire talks were “going very well.”

He again delayed the deadline by 10 days to April 6, this coming Monday, claiming he was doing so “as per Iranian government request.” Iran has denied making such a request or even negotiating with the US, and mediation efforts have reportedly hit a dead end.

Responding to Trump, General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of Iran’s central military command said the US threat was a “a helpless, nervous, unbalanced and........

© The Times of Israel