Middle East War

March 27

Trump says US is talking with an Iranian leader as he extends deadline for striking power plants

Trump on Monday said the U.S. was talking with a “respected” Iranian leader and claimed the Islamic Republic was eager for a deal to end the war. He also extended a deadline for Iran to reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants, saying it has an additional five days. Trump’s turnaround, which held out the possibility of resolving the war now in its fourth week, served to drive down oil prices and jolt stocks. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

March 29

US to deploy at least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East

https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-24-2026?

March 29

Airstrikes batter Iran as it attacks Israel and Gulf states, while diplomatic efforts gather pace

Airstrikes battered Iran and Iranian missiles and drones targeted Israel’s Tel Aviv and sites across the Mideast on Tuesday, even as Trump said that the United States was in talks with the Islamic Republic to end the war. With thousands more U.S. Marines on their way to the Gulf, both sides firing barrages and Iran denying any negotiations are taking place, the war’s tempo remained high a day after Trump delayed his self-imposed deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran’s chokehold on that crucial waterway has snarled international shipping, sent fuel prices skyrocketing and threatened the world economy. Pakistan offered to host diplomatic talks, but Iran remained defiant, vowing to fight “until complete victory.” Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

March 29

🇮🇷 Iran's distrust clouds path to peace

mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.axios.com%

Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photos: Majid Saeedi and Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Iranian officials have told the countries trying to mediate peace talks with the U.S. that they have been tricked twice by President Trump and "don't want to be fooled again," according to a source with direct knowledge of those discussions, Axios' Barak Ravid and Marc Caputo report.

The U.S. is pushing for in-person peace talks as soon as tomorrow in Islamabad.
But during both previous rounds of U.S.–Iran talks, Trump approved crippling surprise attacks while still claiming to want a deal.

🇵🇰🇪🇬🇹🇷 Iranian officials have told the mediators — Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey — that U.S. military movements and Trump's decision to deploy reinforcements have made them suspicious of his proposal for peace talks.

Several U.S. fighter jet squadrons and thousands of troops are expected to arrive in the Middle East soon.
A White House official said a ground operation is an option but stressed Trump hasn't made a decision.

⛴️ To the Trump administration, the massing of forces is a sign he's serious about negotiating from gunboats, not that he's negotiating in bad faith.

One Trump adviser says: "Trump has a hand open for a deal and the other is a fist, waiting to punch you in the f***ing face."

📩 The White House has sent messages to the Iranians that Trump wants to negotiate and floated Vice President Vance's possible involvement as proof.

But Trump is simultaneously trying to build up options for diplomacy and military escalation in order to be able to decide based on developments, U.S. and Israeli officials say.

The officials say another two to three weeks of war is planned, even if talks do happen.

Go deeper.

March 29

Iran rejects US ceasefire plan, issues its own demands as strikes land across the Mideast

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran on Wednesday dismissed an American plan to pause the war in the Middle East and launched more attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab countries, including strikes that hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a fire.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-march-25-2026-be07c54139bcc70672bb33f0773ede6a?

Iran dismisses US ceasefire plan, issues counterproposal as strikes land across the Mideast
Lebanon orders Iran’s ambassador out, escalating a crackdown on Tehran’s influence
WATCH: Huge plume of smoke rises from Kuwait Airport after Iranian drone attacks

March 30

🇮🇷 Pentagon preps massive "final blow"

The Pentagon is developing military options for a "final blow" in Iran that could include ground forces and a massive bombing campaign, Axios' Barak Ravid and Marc Caputo write.

Why it matters: A dramatic military escalation will grow more likely if no progress is made in diplomatic talks and, in particular, if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

Some U.S. officials think a crushing show of force to conclude the fighting would create more leverage in peace talks or simply give Trump something to point to and declare victory.

But Iran also has a say in how the war ends, and many of the scenarios under discussion would risk prolonging and intensifying the fight.

🔎 Zoom in: In interviews with Axios, officials and sources familiar with the internal discussions describe four major "final blow" options for Trump:

Invading or blockading Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub.
Invading Larak, an island that helps Iran solidify its control of the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic outpost hosts Iranian bunkers, attack craft that can blow up cargo ships and radars that monitor movements in the strait.
Seizing the strategic island of Abu Musa and two smaller islands, which lie near the western entrance to the strait and are controlled by Iran but also claimed by the UAE.
Blocking or seizing ships that are exporting Iranian oil on the eastern side of the Hormuz Strait.

Keep reading.

March 30

Iran and the US harden their positions over talks to end the nearly month-old war

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and the United States appeared at an impasse Thursday, hardening their positions over ceasefire talks and setting the stage for more potential escalation in the Middle East war as thousands more U.S. troops neared the region.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-march-26-2026-08584480cef5cc50e525bf21602104fc?

March 31

🇮🇷 President Trump called on the Iranian regime today "to get serious soon" in negotiations "before it is too late." More from Barak Ravid.

April 1

Iran says nuclear facilities have been targeted after Israel says attacks ‘will escalate and expand’

Iran state media says its nuclear facilities were attacked Friday, just hours after Israel threatened to “escalate and expand” its campaign against Tehran. Word of the attacks came after Trump claimed talks on ending the war were going well and gave Tehran more time to open the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has given no sign of backing down. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

Analysis: 1 month into war, Iran is using insurgent tactics and holding the world economy hostage
G7 meets on the Iran war as Rubio tries to sell US strategy to skeptical allies insulted by Trump
Pro-Iranian hacking group claims credit for hack of FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal account
Iran starts to formalize its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz with a ‘toll booth’ regime
AP is calling Israel’s attack on Lebanon an invasion. What does that mean and why does it matter?

April 1

Yemen’s Houthis claim responsibility for missile attacks on Israel as war in Middle East intensifies

https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-28-2026?

Yemen’s Houthis launch first attack on Israel since outbreak of conflict, as Rubio says war to end in ‘weeks’

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have confirmed that they launched an attack on Israel for the first time since the outbreak of the Israel-US war on Iran, marking their entry to the conflict just hours after Marco Rubio said the US expected to conclude military operations within “weeks, not months”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/27/us-expects-iran-operation-to-end-in-weeks-not-months-says-marco-rubio?

‘Her head was broken’: parents at Iranian school bombed by US describe their worst day

Hours before the world learned that a US missile had hit Shajareh Tayyebeh school, parents were already searching the rubble for their sons and daughters. In this exclusive report, four families describe the events of 28 February

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/mar/28/parents-victims-iran-minab-shajareh-tayyebeh-school-bombing-describe-day?

Gulf countries warn of rising threat from Iran-backed militias and proxies

Gulf countries have raised concerns over the prospect of attacks by Iran-backed militias and proxy armed groups in the region, which they fear could destabilise their regimes and escalate the war in the Middle East.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/28/gulf-countries-threat-iran-backed-militias-proxies-war-us-israel-middle-east?

Biker gangs and hired hands: how Iran is increasingly outsourcing its terrorism campaigns

To some it was the moment the mask slipped. Wearing an open-necked white shirt, Mohsen Rafighdoost, former minister of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was filmed last March fondly reminiscing with an interviewer from the Tehran-based Didban Iran news website about the assassinations he had organised around Europe.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/27/golders-green-ambulances-firebomb-iran-involvement-terror-campaigns?

Gulf states’ scepticism over alleged US-Iran talks signals a distrust of Trump

Not long after Donald Trump said the US was engaged in “strong talks” to bring the war with Iran to an end this week, Qatar took the unusual step of distancing itself from the alleged diplomatic negotiations.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/26/gulf-states-scepticism-over-alleged-us-iran-talks-signals-a-distrust-of-trump?

ps:There definitely should be distrust in this man! His dishonesty is unparalleled!!

Pakistan says it will host US-Iran talks, while Iran warns US ground troops would be ‘set on fire’

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan announced Sunday that it would soon host talks between the U.S. and Iran, though there was no immediate word from Washington or Tehran, and it was unclear whether discussions on the monthlong war would be direct or indirect.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-march-29-2026-26caaef651be1cb4d482b29adaa2d600?

April 2

Iran warns US against ground invasion as regional diplomats seek an end to the war

A top Iranian official warned the U.S. against a ground invasion, saying American troops would be set “on fire,” as regional diplomats gathered in Pakistan on Sunday in a push to broker an end to the monthlong war.

Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, dismissed weekend talks as a cover while the U.S. dispatches additional troops to the Middle East. He said Iran was prepared to confront any American forces on its soil and would respond harshly against both U.S. troops and Washington’s regional allies, according to Iranian state media. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

April 2

Trump again threatens widespread destruction in Iran if a deal is not reached ‘shortly’

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened widespread destruction of Iran’s energy resources and other vital infrastructure, potentially including desalination plants that supply drinking water, if a deal to end the war is not reached “shortly.”

https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-march-30-2026-8abb0ee50be4cd8dd9ddde3a9d846ef8?

Live updates: Trump extends new threat to Iran’s civilian infrastructure, if deal not reached 'shortly'

Trump on Monday threatened widespread destruction of Iran’s energy resources and other vital infrastructure, including desalination plants, if a deal to end the war with Tehran is not reached "shortly." The death toll from the war has risen to more than 1,900 people in Iran, over 1,200 people in Lebanon, 19 in Israel and 13 U.S. military members, as well as a number of civilians and soldiers on land and sea in the Gulf region. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

April 3

Zelensky: Russia wants more war

Illustration: Megan Robinson/Axios

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes a long war in Iran would be very good for Russia and very bad for Ukraine, he told Axios' Barak Ravid.

🇷🇺 Zelensky told Axios: "I am sure Russia wants [a] long war. They have benefits: The U.S. is focusing on the Middle East and may decrease military help to Ukraine. Sanctions are partially lifted. I see only benefits for Russia from the war with Iran continuing."

Asked if he was concerned that a prolonged war in Iran would hamper Ukraine's weapons supply, he said: "I am not just concerned, I am sure we will have such challenges. Absolutely."
Zelensky also expressed concern about the U.S. issuing sanctions waivers related to Russian oil sales: "If now they get more money from energy, it doesn't help us."

🌍 Zelensky spoke with Axios after traveling to the Middle East, where he discussed possible security assistance with leaders in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Jordan.

Leaders there have mixed views on the Iran war, he said, with some expecting it to continue and others wanting a quick ending.
Zelensky said Ukraine shared evidence that Russia provided Iran with satellite imagery of U.S. and European military bases and other critical infrastructure in Middle Eastern countries.

🇺🇸 What's next: Zelensky said he's concerned that after the Iran war is over, the Trump administration will resume pressuring Ukraine to surrender territory to Russia.

"They don't see another way to stop Putin other than withdrawing Ukrainian troops from our territory. My concern is that nobody really values the danger of such a decision for our security."

Go deeper.

ps: Exactly!!!!!

April 3

🚀 President Trump threatened to "completely obliterate" Iran's power, energy and water infrastructure if a peace deal "is not shortly reached" and if the Strait of Hormuz isn't opened "immediately." More from Barak Ravid.

🇪🇸 Spain has closed its airspace to U.S. planes involved in the Iran war, marking another step in the country's opposition to the conflict. Go deeper

Live updates: Iran strikes fully loaded oil tanker off Dubai coast as gas reaches $4 per gallon in US

Authorities in Dubai said Tuesday morning they “contained” a Kuwaiti oil tanker after it came under attack from Iran. Officials said there was “no oil leakage and no injuries reported.” The Dubai Media office earlier said a drone hit the Kuwaiti tanker in Dubai waters. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

April 5

Iran War Outlook

President Donald Trump, in an address to the nation last night, said the war in Iran is nearing completion, projecting another two to three weeks of US involvement. He also expressed confidence that key military objectives are close to being met, including dismantling Iran's missile production, destroying its naval capabilities, and curbing its regional proxies. Replay the address here and see takeaways here.

The operation, which began roughly a month ago following coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes, also aims to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sent an open letter to the American people yesterday, urging a reassessment of narratives around the conflict and arguing that Iran holds no hostility toward ordinary US citizens. He also framed Tehran's military actions as defensive and questioned US foreign policy priorities. Read the letter here.

April 5

📺 Trump: U.S. to bomb Iran "back to Stone Ages" over next 2–3 weeks

President Trump said in a prime-time address that the U.S. is "nearing completion" of "core strategic objectives" in Iran, but added: "We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We're going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong."

If a deal to end the war can't be reached, he said, "we are going to hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard and probably simultaneously" — and perhaps the oil fields.
That would have devastating consequences for Tehran's civilian population and the future of the country, while likely inciting retaliation against America's allies in the region.

Between the lines: Trump's threat to wreck Iran's power infrastructure betrayed his frustration, expressed to others privately, that Iran's leaders don't believe they're losing the war and therefore don't feel motivated to strike a deal favorable to the president's point of view, Axios' Dave Lawler and Marc Caputo write.

"The Iranian military leadership has lost so much. But they're not feeling the pain, and there's a discussion about testing their pain tolerance," said one confidant who spoke with Trump last week about the war.
The massive bombing campaign to come was an indication of the Trump administration's plan to strike a "final blow" to close out the bombing campaign that began Feb. 28.

🔎 Between the lines: Trump appeared to back away from plans to dispatch special operations forces to seize highly enriched uranium at Iran's nuclear sites that the U.S. had bombed last year and also attacked in this war.

"The nuclear sites that we obliterated with the B-2 bombers have been hit so hard that it would take months to get near the nuclear dust, and we have it under intense satellite surveillance and control," Trump said. "If we see them make a move — even a move for it — we'll hit them with missiles very hard again."
Called "mowing the grass," that pledge to return for future bombing raids has increasingly been discussed by Trump's advisers.

Behind the scenes: Trump's administration has told Tehran, through mediators, that the U.S. is interested in a ceasefire in exchange for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

But the speech publicly laid out a darker scenario for Iran and the global economy: The U.S. could leave the key strait closed and bomb Iran's civilian infrastructure before concluding the war.

State of play: Trump didn't announce any new policy to end the war, focusing his prime-time address on trying to convince a skeptical public that it was necessary and has been successful.

Trump argued that previous presidents should have handled the threat from Iran, but that he was the one who finally took it on.

Read the transcript ...

💥 The U.S. military attacked major civilian infrastructure in Iran for the first time, hours after President Trump threatened to take the country "back to the Stone Ages, where they belong." More from Barak Ravid.

April 6

Hegseth asks the Army’s top uniformed officer to step down while US wages war against Iran

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ousted the Army’s top uniformed officer and two other generals, the Pentagon said Thursday without giving a reason for the departures while the United States is waging a war against Iran.

https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-hegseth-army-chief-iran-war-c6707d1d3a95ea5f679e0f9a5c5012e7?

April 6

2 US aircraft shot down as war in Iran escalates. At least 1 crew member is missing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Iran shot down two U.S. military planes in separate attacks Friday, with one service member rescued and at least one missing, in a dramatic escalation since the war began nearly five weeks ago.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-april-3-2026-a6365c6123cc8a696474f576d4ce7668?

U.S. pilot missing in Iran

An F-15 takes off from Royal Air Force Lakenheath in England in January. Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

The search for the second crew member of a U.S. fighter jet shot down over Iran is continuing after U.S. special forces rescued the other airman, Axios' Barak Ravid reports.

Iran is also hunting for the missing crew member. The Iranian government has promised to reward whoever finds them.

The two F-15E Strike Eagle crew members ejected safely after being struck by Iranian fire, an Israeli official and a second source with knowledge of the situation tell Axios.

U.S. special forces located one of the crew members and rescued him alive in Iranian territory.
An Israeli official said Israel canceled planned strikes in Iran to avoid hampering the search and rescue efforts.

This is the first time since the beginning of the Iran war that a U.S. jet was downed by enemy fire. Three F-15Es have been shot down by friendly fire.

Get the latest.

April 6

Death, displacement and military duties: children plunged into crisis by Middle East war

Millions of children have been plunged into crisis by the war in the Middle East, with reports of child soldiers in Iran, mass forced displacements in Lebanon and the killing of hundreds of minors.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/04/children-us-israel-iran-war-middle-east?

Iran Hits US Airpower

Iran yesterday shot down two US aircraft in separate incidents, the first such losses in roughly five weeks of war. As of this writing, a search-and-rescue operation is underway for at least one missing crew member. See photos of wreckage.

Two helicopters involved in the rescue effort were also hit by Iranian fire that wounded US personnel on board, but the aircraft safely returned to a US base. The US is racing against Iran’s offer to reward any civilian who turns over an "enemy pilot." Iran is also continuing to strike American and Israeli allies in the Persian Gulf, with Kuwait reporting an Iranian strike on a power and water plant yesterday; Iran says Israel is responsible. That infrastructure strike comes after the US struck a highway bridge near Tehran Thursday, reportedly killing eight people.

Meanwhile, the White House is seeking $1.5T in defense spending from Congress for the 2027 fiscal year, the most in modern US history. Nondefense spending would be cut by 10%, shifting some responsibilities to local and state governments.

✈️ U.S., Iran race to find American airman

A U.S. airstrike on Thursday hit this Iranian bridge, which was intended to connect Tehran to the Caspian Sea. Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images

Both the U.S. and Iran are frantically searching for a U.S. airman who bailed out of an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet over Iran yesterday. A second crew member was rescued.

It's the first shoot-down of a U.S. warplane by Iranian forces in five weeks of war.
And it's the first U.S. plane shot down by enemy fire in over 20 years. The last was during the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Another U.S. Air Force combat plane, an A-10 Warthog, crashed in the Persian Gulf region at about the same time. The lone pilot was rescued.

Get the latest.

April 7

Trump issues an expletive-filled threat against Iran as details of US aviator’s rescue emerge

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday made expletive-filled threats against Iran and its infrastructure if it doesn’t open the Strait of Hormuz by his Tuesday deadline, after American forces rescued a wounded aviator whose Iran-downed plane fell behind enemy lines.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-april-5-2026-pilot-cf4a792196259d6e9c066d0be1c57962?

"Brave American soul inside a mountain crevice"

U.S. special forces rescued the second crew member of the F-15 fighter jet that was shot down over Iran, Axios' Barak Ravid reports.

The crew member, a weapons systems officer, was wounded after ejecting from the aircraft on Friday but could still walk, and evaded capture in the mountains for more than a day, one of the officials said.
President Trump posted at 12:08 a.m. ET: "WE GOT HIM!"

🛰️ The big picture: The shootdown was a nightmare scenario for the U.S. military, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also racing to locate the missing U.S. officer in southwest Iran. Both crew members were rescued in special forces operations inside Iran.

One official said yesterday's operation was conducted by a specialized commando unit with a high volume of air cover, with U.S. forces unleashing a hail of heavy fire. The official said all of the forces are now out of Iran.

How it happened: According to two sources, the F-15 pilot and weapons systems officer both made contact after ejecting on Friday.

The pilot was rescued several hours after the plane was shot down. During the operation, Iran struck a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter, wounding crew members. But it was able to fly on.
It took more than a day to locate and rescue the weapons systems officer.

🔎 Behind the scenes: A senior administration official told Axios that before locating the weapons systems officer, the CIA launched a deception campaign by spreading word inside Iran that U.S. forces had already found him and were attempting a ground exfiltration.

The CIA used "unique capabilities" to search for him. "This was the ultimate needle in a haystack," the official said. "It was a brave American soul inside a mountain crevice, invisible but for CIA's capabilities."
The CIA shared the airman's precise location with the Pentagon, the U.S. military and the White House. Trump ordered an immediate rescue mission.

Screenshot: Truth Social

🔭 Zoom in: The IRGC had also sent forces to the region to try to prevent a rescue, according to two U.S. officials.

U.S. Air Force jets conducted strikes against Iranian forces to prevent them from reaching the area, the sources said.
Trump and senior members of his team followed the rescue operation from the White House Situation Room. Then Trump was in the Oval Office throughout the day yesterday, receiving constant updates from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a White House official told us.

Zoom out: In addition to the F-15 and Black Hawk, Iran also downed an A-10 attack aircraft on Friday, undercutting claims from Trump, Hegseth and other officials that the U.S. had unchecked dominance of the skies over Iran. That pilot was able to fly to friendly territory and eject safely.

Trump wrote that both crew members were rescued without any Americans being killed, showing the U.S. has "achieved overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies."

Reality check: Diplomatic efforts have shown very little progress in recent days, two sources familiar with the indirect talks say.

🪖 The latest: In a post on Easter morn, POTUS says ...

Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F*ckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP

Trump threatened yesterday that "hell will reign [sic] down" on Iran if the regime doesn't agree to open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. He previously threatened to strike civilian infrastructure, such as power plants.

Barak's latest.

April 7

Second Crew Member Rescued

The US rescued the second of two crew members from a downed F-15E aircraft in Iran, officials revealed yesterday. Both were evacuated with non-life-threatening injuries.

The mission to rescue the second airman involved subterfuge, US officials say. The crewman was in Iran for an estimated 36 hours before he was rescued, with the CIA launching a deception campaign to distract Iranian forces. The US reportedly misled Iranians by suggesting the crew member was found and was being evacuated by ground. Meanwhile, US forces searched for and extracted the airman from a mountain crevice. The campaign evaded what could have been a hostage situation; Tehran had reportedly offered the equivalent of $60K for the aviators’ capture.

The mission comes ahead of today’s deadline set by President Donald Trump for Iranians to make a deal or the US would target civilian infrastructure. Trump will hold a news conference today at 1 pm ET (watch here).

April 7

Iran and US receive draft proposal for war ceasefire

Israel and the United States carried out a wave of attacks on Iran on Monday, killing more than 25 people, and Iran responded with missile fire on Israel and its Gulf Arab neighbors. President Donald Trump’s deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz loomed as mediators circulated a new ceasefire proposal. Read more.

What to know:

In an effort to stop the fighting, Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish mediators have sent Iran and the U.S. a proposal that calls for a 45-day ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to give time to try to find a way to end the war, two Mideast officials have told The Associated Press. Iran and the U.S. have not responded to the proposal, sent late Sunday night to both Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, the officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private negotiations.
Among those killed in one of the attacks was the head of intelligence for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi, according to Iranian state media and Israel’s defense minister.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

April 8

Trump widens threat to all of Iran’s power plants and bridges as his deadline for a deal approaches

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump expanded his threat against Iran to include all power plants and bridges Monday as his ultimatum to make a deal ticked closer, after Tehran rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal and said it wants a permanent end to the war.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-april-6-2026-87b62d531d3290fde5255077179bd3b5?

Trump brushes off war crime concerns as he repeats threat to Iran’s infrastructure

https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-04-06-2026?

April 8

Iran war

Iran remains defiant as President Trump warns their "entire country" could be demolished if no deal is reached today to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said Monday the US has a plan under which every bridge and power plant in Iran could be destroyed by midnight, although he has previously declared — and then shifted — similar deadlines for the opening of the strait multiple times. Analysts note that targeting critical civilian infrastructure could be considered a war crime. An Iranian official cautioned that such attacks would have consequences far beyond the region, with "destructive effects on global energy and the economy."

VISUAL: The cascading global impact of the Iran war

April 9

US and Iran agree to 2-week ceasefire as Trump pulls back on threats

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump pulled back on his threats to launch devastating strikes on Iran late Tuesday, as the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-trump-lebanon-april-7-2026-421ee64fdc9a5c26460df8119c7d1b3f?

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