Trump threatens ‘Death, Fire and Fury’ if Iran cuts off oil through the Strait of Hormuz – live updates

By JAMIE BULLEN, LIVE COVERAGE EDITOR and SAM LAWLEY, NEWS REPORTER and MELISSA KOENIG, US REPORTER

Updated: 23:35 EDT, 9 March 2026

US President Donald Trump threatened to bring ‘death, fire and fury’ down on Iran if it were to cut off the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.

The president took to his Truth Social platform Monday night to warn Iranian officials that any action to stop the flow of oil will result in the country getting struck being ‘hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.’

‘Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back,’ he continued, adding that he hopes and prays that does not happen.

Trump had made similar threats earlier in the evening when he spoke to the press for the first time since the US and Israel struck Iran on February 28, vowing to ‘take them out so quickly, they’ll never be able to recover.’

Trump’s post came hours after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly announced that any Arab or European country that expels the ambassadors of the US and Israel will have ‘full authority and freedom’ to pass through the Strait of Hormuz starting on Tuesday.

An Iranian source with knowledge of the country’s leadership strategy has since told CNN that it is planning to impose ‘security duties’ on oil tankers and commercial ships that belong to countries allied with the US.

But French President Emmanuel Macron had already announced an ambitious plan to deploy two warships to the Strait of Hormuz amid increasing fears over surging oil prices, which hit more than $100 per barrel for the first time in four years.

Speaking in Cyprus, President Macron said the ‘purely defensive mission’ led by France and its allies would protect oil and gas shipments through the waterway where traffic has been choked off following the war with Iran.

The French leader said he wanted to see an ‘unprecedented’ naval force of European and non-European ships in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and off the Strait of Hormuz consisting of a total of eight frigates, two helicopter carriers and the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.

 Follow the latest updates on the US-Israel war with Iran

Trump reiterates threat on Iran

US President Donald Trump reiterated his threat against Iran if it were to cut off the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz with a post to his Truth Social page Monday night.

‘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,’ he warned.

‘Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back,’ Trump said, adding that ‘Death, Fire and Fury will reign upon them.’

‘But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen,’ Trump wrote.

The president then went on to call his warning ‘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,’ he added, ominously.

France to send warships to Middle East and oil prices surge: Everything you need to know

The US-Israel war with Iran has entered its tenth day with mayhem continuing across the Middle East since the fighting began last month.

If you’re just joining us, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a plan to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help oil and gas supplies flow through the passage once again.

The US Navy has reportedly attacked an Iranian warship and two other vessels in the Persian Gulf.

Meanwhile, oil prices are surging worldwide as global markets slid today and Donald Trump has declared he and Benjamin Netanyahu will make a ‘mutual’ decision on when to end the war.

Here are the key developments on Monday afternoon.

France has announced plans to deploy eight warships to the Middle East in a ‘purely defensive’ mission to reopen the Strait of HormuzAn Iranian warship and two other vessels have reportedly been attacked by the US Navy during airstrikes on the port city of Bandar AbbasNATO have shot down a second Iranian missile in Turkish airspace Oil prices rise to above $100 a barrel for first time in four years as global markets slid at the start of tradingDonald Trump says he and Benjamin Netanyahu will make ‘mutual’ decision on when to end Iran warVladimir Putin offers ‘unwavering support’ to Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba KhameneiBahrain’s only oil refinery has been struck by an Iranian missile as Tehran targets energy installations across the GulfThe UAE confirmed two members of its armed forces were killed in a helicopter crash when the aircraft malfunctioned during the defence against Iranian dronesPete Hegseth, the US Defense Secretary, last night guaranteed Iran will ‘surrender’ and President Donald Trump will set the terms of their defeatMojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of Iran’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, was selected by the country’s Assembly of Experts to succeed his fatherIranian state television has reported Khamenei is ‘wounded’ but did not elaborate on how the injuries were causedThe US has identified the seventh solider killed during Operation Epic FuryNearly 700,000 people displaced in Lebanon

UNICEF announced on Monday that nearly 700,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Lebanon since the war began in the Middle East last week, including about 200,000 children.

It also said that since March 2, at least 83 children have been killed and 254 wounded in the country.

‘On average, more than 10 children have been killed every day across Lebanon over the past week, with approximately 36 children injured each day,’ the agency said in a statement.

‘UNICEF calls on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including schools and shelters, and to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law,’ it continued.

‘UNICEF urges immediate efforts to de-escalate the situation and prevent further harm to children.’

US Central Command vows to ‘take out’ Iran’s missile launchers

US Central Command vowed on Monday night to ‘take out’ Iran’s missile launchers, wherever they may be hiding.

It shared a video of a strike on a launcher underneath a bridge, another that seemed to be hidden in a cave and a third that was obstructed by trees.

Iran’s military goads US

The Iranian military goaded the United States to take action in the Strait of Hormuz in a statement early Tuesday.

Maj. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini, a spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp, said the country’s armed forces are ‘awaiting the US naval fleet in the Strait of Hormuz’ and argued that the end of the war ‘is in Iran’s hands.’

‘The armed forces of the Republic of Iran are awaiting the US naval fleet in the Strait of Hormuz region and are waiting for the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford,’ Naeni said, according to state media.

He added that US President Donald Trump ‘has claimed the presence of commercial and military ships in the region and their easy passage through the Strait of Hormuz; while American ships, vessels, and all fighter jets have fled the region and are stationed at a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers to avoid Iran’s powerful missiles and drones.’

US declares Afghanistan ‘state sponsor of wrongful detention’

Amid the ongoing war in the Middle East, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Monday that the US is declaring Afghanistan a ‘state sponsor of wrongful detention.’

‘The Taliban continue to use terrorist tactics to seek policy concessions, but it won’t work under this administration,’ he posted on X, demanding the release of Americans held in the country.

US Vice President JD Vance, Hegseth attends dignified transfer of seventh soldier killed in war

Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth were seen saluting as US soldiers unloaded the coffin of the seventh American soldier who was killed since the war began.

Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky, succumbed to his injuries on Sunday after sustaining an attack on March 1 at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.

Syrian military blames Hezbollah for attack

Syria’s military has blamed Hezbollah on an attack that saw artillery shells landing about 20 miles west of Damascus, the capital.

It accused the terrorist group of targeting Syrian army positions in the area, and said military officials have observed Hezbollah reinforcements arriving along the Syrian-Lebanese border.

The Syrian army added that it was closely monitoring the developments, and warned that it would respond to any attack on its territory.

Iran looking to impose ‘security duties’ on oil tankers, report says

Iran is finalizing plans to impose ‘security duties’ on oil tankers and commercial ships that belong to countries allied with the US, an Iranian source with knowledge of the leadership’s strategy told CNN.

The source insisted that the Strait of Hormuz is ‘closed’ despite US President Donald Trump’s claims that it is open.

‘We hold the screw of the global oil price in our hands and for a long time the US will have to wait for our actions to control the price. Energy prices have become unstable and we will continue to fight until Trump declares defeat,’ the source said.

US Senate Democrats demand hearings into war

Some Democrats in the US Senate have started to threaten to impede the branch’s work unless the Trump administration agrees to provide public hearings on the war in Iran.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker said Democrats were going to ‘use every lever that we have to stop business as usual’ unless there is an agreement from the Trump administration to hold public hearings.

A group of Democratic senators have already filed legislation trying to limit the president’s ability to seek war in Iran after a war powers resolution failed last week.

Democrats could also potentially force repeated votes on the votes if they choose.

Kurds in Iraq shoot down explosive-laden drones

Kurdish coalition forces in Iraq shot down three explosive-laden drones over Erbil on Monday, the Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Service said.

Two drones targeted the United Arab Emirates consulate and one targeted Erbil airport, near a US base, CNN reports.

Debris from one drone fell near the consulate but there were no casualties, the service added.

Trump issues ominous threat to Iran

President Donald Trump issued an ominous threat to Iran if it were to disrupt the world’s oil supply.

‘I will not allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and attempt to stop the world’s oil supply – and if Iran does that, they’ll get hit at a much, much harder level,’ the US president said.

‘I will take out those targets that were easy… We’ll take them out so quickly, they’ll never be able to recover, ever, if they want to play that game.

‘They better not play that game,’ he continued.

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Trump threatens ‘Death, Fire and Fury’ if Iran cuts off oil through the Strait of Hormuz – live updates