Trump Promises to Bomb Iran ‘TWENTY TIMES HARDER’ if It Restricts Flow of Oil

AP Photo/Matt Rourke

In a post to his Truth Social account on Monday night, President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran “TWENTY TIMES HARDER” if Iran restricts the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

This narrow waterway, which lies between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, has been effectively closed to most commercial shipping since the conflict with Iran began on Feb. 28. Maritime traffic through the strait has dropped by at least 70 percent — a major disruption for oil and gas shipments as approximately 13 million barrels of oil move through the waters daily.

Early Monday, a spokesman for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmail Baghaei, advised CNBC that foreign oil tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz “must be very careful.”

“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” Trump wrote in his Truth Social post. “Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again — Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them — But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen! This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

The price of crude oil surged past $100 a barrel on Sunday, March 8 — its highest since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. By the end of the day Monday, at the market’s close, prices fell to under $90 after Trump told CBS News that “the war is very complete.”

Speaking to reporters in Florida at a press conference on Monday evening, Trump said it would be “an honor” to keep the Strait open and accessible.

“We’re really helping China here and other countries because they get a lot of their energy from the Straits,” Trump said. “We have a good relationship with China. It’s my honor to do it.”

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