Gambiaj.com – (WASHINGTON, United States) – The United States has launched a series of strikes on military targets in Iran as tensions escalate ahead of a deadline set by Donald Trump for Tehran to agree to a ceasefire and reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Even before the deadline approached, intense waves of attacks were reported on bridges across Iran and on Kharg Island, the country’s key oil export hub. A U.S. official told NBC News that American forces struck dozens of military targets on the island overnight.
The official said he had been aware of plans to target military facilities on the island and believes those strikes have now been carried out.
Despite the escalation, JD Vance suggested the attacks do not represent a shift in Washington’s strategy. He said the United States had warned Iran of severe consequences if it failed to respond to Trump’s demand for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Vance accused Iran of attempting to “exact as much economic pain on the world as possible” through disruptions to the critical shipping route, adding that the United States had the capacity to inflict “much greater pain” if the confrontation continues.
Trump Issues Stark Ultimatum
President Trump has sharply intensified his rhetoric in the hours leading up to the deadline.
In a social media post Tuesday, he warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not reach an agreement by 20:00 EDT (00:00 GMT Wednesday).
The statement came a day after he threatened to destroy “every bridge” and power station in Iran should Tehran refuse to strike a deal.
“I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump said, adding, “However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen. WHO KNOWS?”
The remarks have raised serious concerns among analysts and legal experts over whether such threats could imply targeting civilian infrastructure, potentially constituting violations of international law.
Trump, however, dismissed those concerns on Monday, saying he was not worried about whether such actions might be considered war crimes.
The situation also places the U.S. president in a difficult position: he must now decide whether to follow through with his threats and risk escalating the conflict further or step back and risk damaging his credibility after issuing such stark warnings.
Iran Vows Retaliation
Iran has responded with defiance.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that if Trump proceeds with his threats, Tehran would “deprive the U.S. and its allies of the region’s oil and gas for years.”
Officials in Tehran have also urged young people to form human chains to protect key infrastructure such as power plants from potential attacks.
While Iran has publicly rejected a temporary ceasefire proposal delivered through intermediaries, Iranian authorities say diplomatic negotiations remain ongoing and are at what they describe as a “critical, sensitive stage.”
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