Oil rises, stock futures fall amid widening fuel shortages as Trump issues apocalyptic threats against Iran ahead of a new deadline

(SeaPRwire) –   Following the first week of stock market gains since the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran began over a month prior, Wall Street is now assessing new threats and a recent ultimatum issued by President Donald Trump.

Dow Jones industrial average futures declined by 284 points, representing a 0.61% drop. S&P 500 futures saw a 0.57% decrease, while Nasdaq futures experienced a 0.56% loss.

Futures for U.S. oil increased by 1.9% to $113.69 per barrel, and Brent crude futures advanced by 1.8% to $110.99. The average national gasoline price hit $4.11 per gallon on Sunday, as reported by AAA, marking an increase from $2.98 before the conflict.

Europe, significantly reliant on Middle Eastern refineries for jet fuel, saw Italy compelled to restrict supplies at multiple airports due to shortages. This follows earlier energy rationing initiatives in several Asian nations.

The U.S. dollar strengthened by 0.07% against the euro and by 0.16% against the yen. The 10-year Treasury yield remained unchanged at 4.345%.

The conflict has now extended into its sixth week, aligning with the upper limit of President Trump’s initial four-to-six-week projection for its duration.

However, Tehran continues to maintain its control over the Strait of Hormuz, despite permitting a small but increasing number of tankers to pass. Meanwhile, Trump seemed encouraged by the successful, audacious rescue of a U.S. airman downed in Iranian airspace.

On Sunday, via social media, he issued a threat to demolish Iran’s power plants and bridges if the strait is not reopened by Tuesday. He then commanded, “Open the F—in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”

This statement seemingly postponed his deadline from Monday, which itself had been a delay from a previous ultimatum issued a week and a half earlier.

Trump additionally informed ABC News that Iran’s “whole country is gone” if they fail to reach an agreement. He subsequently stated to Fox News, “If they don’t make a deal and fast, I’m considering blowing everything up and taking over the oil,”

Furthermore, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, he asserted that if Iran maintains the strait’s closure, “they’re going to lose every power plant and every other plant they have in the whole country.”

Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, retaliated with his own statement. He posted on social media, “Your reckless moves are dragging the United States into a living HELL for every single family, and our whole region is going to burn because you insist on following Netanyahu’s commands,”

He continued, “Make no mistake: You won’t gain anything through war crimes. The only real solution is respecting the rights of the Iranian people and ending this dangerous game.”

Concurrently, over 2,000 Marines are deployed in the Middle East, with thousands more troops, along with a third aircraft carrier, en route.

President Trump might deploy these forces to capture Kharg Island, the source of 90% of Iran’s oil exports, or other smaller islands close to the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to diminish Iran’s control over this vital global oil trade route.

At present, it remains uncertain whether the successful rescue of the F-15 airman following a perilous operation increases or decreases the likelihood of a future ground assault.

Gregory Brew, a Eurasia Group analyst specializing in oil and Iran, commented on X, “On the one hand, the costs from this episode (four, as many as seven aircraft) may suggest the risks to such operations are simply too great to contemplate.” He added, “On the other hand, the admin may perceive the successful retrieval following operations inside Iranian territory as proof that such operations are feasible.”