US President Donald Trump has warned Tehran that it has 48 hours to reach a deal or face “all hell”, as tensions escalate further in the ongoing US-Iran conflict and search operations continue for a missing American airman.
Trump’s latest ultimatum came after a strike near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant triggered evacuations and heightened fears of wider regional fallout. At the same time, Iranian forces reported fresh attacks, including claims that the Revolutionary Guards had struck a commercial vessel in Bahrain allegedly linked to Israel.
The conflict, which erupted just over a month ago following US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has since expanded across the Middle East, disrupting global markets and raising alarm over energy supplies, particularly after tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil and gas shipping route.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump referenced an earlier warning issued on March 26, saying Iran was running out of time to strike a deal or reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“Time is running out – 48 hours before all hell will reign down on them,” he wrote, reiterating his hardline stance after previously setting and adjusting deadlines for Iran to respond.
He had earlier threatened to target Iran’s energy infrastructure, including its nuclear facilities, if Tehran failed to comply with demands over the strategic waterway. However, he later indicated negotiations were ongoing and delayed potential military action.
Reports from the region also indicated continued aerial operations, with Iranian sources claiming the downing of a US F-15 fighter jet and an A-10 aircraft, though US media said rescue efforts successfully recovered one pilot while another remains missing.
Search operations for the missing airman are ongoing in parts of Iran, involving military personnel and local groups, according to regional reports.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials mocked the US efforts, with parliament speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf ridiculing Washington’s shifting focus from military threats to locating its personnel.
Strikes near the Bushehr nuclear plant have drawn international concern, with Russia confirming it is evacuating nearly 200 workers involved in the facility’s operations. Iran has warned that continued attacks could have severe environmental consequences across the Gulf region.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has reported no increase in radiation levels so far but expressed “deep concern” over repeated strikes near nuclear infrastructure.
Elsewhere, renewed bombardments have been reported in Tehran and surrounding regions, with civilians describing worsening living conditions and growing fear amid widespread destruction of infrastructure.
The conflict has also spilled into neighbouring countries, with damage reported in Bahrain and Dubai from intercepted drones and debris, while Iran has continued retaliatory strikes on Israeli and US-linked targets across the region.
In Lebanon, Israeli forces said they had struck thousands of targets linked to Hezbollah, while air raids in Beirut and Tyre caused casualties and further displacement of civilians as regional tensions continue to intensify.
