Trump's Iran Threat Sparks Backlash, Prompts Ceasefire

President Donald Trump drew widespread condemnation Tuesday after posting on Truth Social a threat against Iran, warning that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" if the country failed to meet a U.S. deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The post, issued hours before an 8 p.m. Eastern Time cutoff, referenced potential mass bombardment and described the moment as one of the most significant in world history. Just over an hour before the deadline, the United States and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire, allowing safe passage through the vital shipping route under Iranian military coordination.

The rhetoric emerged amid escalating tensions in a conflict that began 40 days earlier, when initial U.S. and Israeli strikes targeted Iranian sites. Iran has since deployed drones and missiles to disrupt the strait, a chokepoint for about 20 percent of global oil supplies, driving up gasoline prices worldwide. Trump had warned of strikes on Iranian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, if Tehran did not comply. Experts and critics interpreted the language as suggesting genocidal intent, with some expressing alarm over possible nuclear...