President Donald Trump on Easter threatened major strikes on Iran’s energy and transportation infrastructure if its leaders do not cooperate with his demand to open the Strait of Hormuz.
The post came the same day Pope Leo XIV made a passionate appeal for peace during his comments from the loggia of St Peter’s Basilica after offering Easter Mass in St Peter’s Square.
In an expletive-laden post on his social media website Truth Social, Trump said, “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!” The post said if they do not open the strait, “you’ll be living in Hell.” “JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah,” the post said.
Targeting civilian infrastructure would generally be considered a war crime under international law. Meanwhile, in his Easter comments, the pope repeated the word peace 13 times, stating that the peace the risen Christ offers “is not merely the silence of weapons, but the peace that touches and transforms the heart of each one of us.”
“Let us allow ourselves to be transformed by the peace of Christ! Let us make heard the cry for peace that springs from our hearts!” he said.
