US President Donald Trump has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran to either negotiate a deal or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that “all hell will reign down” if Tehran fails to comply. The warning, posted on Truth Social on Friday, follows an earlier ten-day deadline that Iran did not meet.
The escalation took a dangerous turn as Iran claimed to have shot down two US military aircraft — an F-15E Strike Eagle over Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province and an A-10 Warthog over the Persian Gulf — using what it described as a “new advanced” air defence system. Iranian state television announced a reward for capturing US pilots alive.
US officials confirmed that two Black Hawk helicopters deployed for search-and-rescue operations were hit but returned safely to base. The A-10 pilot was rescued, according to US sources. The White House confirmed that President Trump had been briefed on the developments.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil supply transits, has been effectively closed since Iran’s blockade began in March. The closure is the root cause of Sri Lanka’s current fuel crisis — the island imports around 80 percent of its petroleum through the Gulf and currently holds an estimated six weeks of fuel reserves.
Any further escalation directly threatens Sri Lanka’s already-strained energy supply chain, with the country already implementing fuel rationing and power cuts. The 48-hour deadline expires on Sunday, April 6.
Trump did not specify what military or economic actions the US would take if Iran fails to comply.
