“President Trump told Axios the U.S. initially worried that a message from the stranded crew member of an F-15 downed by Iran was a trick by the Iranians to lure U.S. forces into a trap,” Axios reports.

“The crew member survived more than 24 hours in the mountains despite being wounded, before being rescued in a special forces operation on Saturday.”

President Trump threatened to destroy all of Iran’s power plants if the country’s leaders don’t agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday evening, ratcheting up pressure on Tehran, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Said Trump: “If they don’t come through, if they want to keep it closed, they’re going to lose every power plant and every other plant they have in the whole country.”

Pressed on when he thinks the war will end, Trump said: “I will let you know pretty soon.”

Pope Leo XIV used his first Easter speech Sunday to deliver a resounding call for peace in times of renewed war, declaring, “Let those who have weapons lay them down!,” the Washington Post reports.

Said Leo: “Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them! We are growing accustomed to violence, resigning ourselves to it, and becoming indifferent. Indifferent to the deaths of thousands of people.”

President Trump threatened to destroy Iran’s energy plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened.

Said Trump: “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!”

He added: “Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”

“An Air Force weapons officer whose fighter jet had been shot down in Iran was rescued by U.S. Special Operations forces in a risky Saturday night mission that took commandos deep into enemy territory,” the New York Times reports.

“The rescue came after a life-or-death race between U.S. and Iranian forces that stretched over two days to reach the injured airman, who evaded Iranian for more than 24 hours in mountainous territory with little more than a pistol.”

“As U.S. forces converged on the downed airman, a firefight erupted, a former senior military official briefed on the operation said. In the end, the United States extracted the officer in an operation that involved hundreds of special operations troops.”

After a phone call with President Trump, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said Iran will be facing “overwhelming military force” if they do not give in to U.S. demands. 

Said Graham: “I am completely convinced that he will use overwhelming military force against the regime if they continue to impede the Strait of Hormuz and refuse a diplomatic solution to achieve our military objectives. If it’s not clear to Iran and others by now that President Trump means what he says then I don’t know when it will ever be.” 

The Guardian: “U.S. federal agents have arrested the niece and grandniece of the late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani after the Trump administration’s top diplomat, Marco Rubio, revoked their lawful permanent resident status.”

Bloomberg: “The next steps in the U.S. military campaign against Iran will commit nearly its entire inventory of stealthy JASSM-ER cruise missiles, drawing them from stockpiles devoted to other regions.”

“The order to pull the $1.5 million weapon from Pacific stockpiles was issued at the end of March… Missiles at US facilities elsewhere, including the continental US, will be moved to US Central Command bases or Fairford in the UK.”

President Trump warned Iran that “time is running out” before the U.S. rains “all hell” down on the country.

Said Trump, on Truth Social: “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 down on them. Glory be to GOD!”

For those counting, this is at least the third 48-hour ultimatum Trump has made to Iran.