Israel carried out a fresh wave of airstrikes across Iran on Tuesday, hitting targets in Tehran and other cities, as United States President Donald Trump’s deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz entered its final hours with no agreement in sight and diplomacy still far short of a breakthrough.
The Israeli military issued a warning to Iranians, posting on its Persian-language social media account that civilians should refrain from using trains or going near railway lines, indicating imminent strikes on transport infrastructure. Following the warning, train movements from the Mashhad Railway were cancelled until further notice.
A residential area in Tehran was struck in one of the latest attacks, according to Iran’s Red Crescent Society, while two people were killed after an attack on a railway bridge in the city of Kashan. Strikes also completely destroyed a synagogue in central Tehran, the country’s Mehr news agency reported, with rescuers searching through rubble at the scene.
Iran Counter-Proposal Falls Short
Iran formally rejected a United States ceasefire proposal brokered through Pakistan, conveying to Islamabad its demand for a permanent end to the war rather than a temporary truce. Tehran’s 10-point counter-proposal included a guarantee against future attacks, an end to Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon, the lifting of sanctions, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz — but with Iran imposing a fee of two million dollars for every ship transiting the waterway.
Trump acknowledged the Iranian proposal but dismissed it as insufficient. “It’s a significant proposal. It’s a significant step. It’s not good enough,” he told reporters, adding that intermediaries were still negotiating. He stated he was highly unlikely to extend the 8 p.m. Eastern Time deadline and warned of complete demolition of Iranian infrastructure if no deal was reached.
Iran’s central military command warned of “much more devastating and widespread” retaliatory operations if civilian targets were struck.
Nuclear Plant Alert
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi warned that strikes near Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant could cause a severe radiological accident, urging that attacks in the vicinity stop immediately. The IAEA confirmed military strikes had landed close to the plant, including one approximately 250 feet from its perimeter.
Gulf States on Alert
Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Saudi Arabia all activated air defence systems to intercept incoming Iranian missiles and drones as Tehran maintained pressure on its Gulf neighbours. The United Nations Security Council was expected to vote Tuesday on a resolution calling for the unblocking of the Strait of Hormuz, though a draft seen by AFP no longer included authorisation to use force, after China opposed the original language.
Rising Toll
About 3,540 people have been killed in Iran since the war began on February 28, including at least 244 children, according to United States-based rights group HRANA. Lebanon’s death toll stands at 1,461, including at least 124 children.
Iran’s deputy minister of sports called on young people, artists, and athletes to form human chains around power plants across the country in protest against threatened attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Oil prices climbed further on the back of the escalation, with Brent crude rising above $111 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) exceeding $113, reflecting deepening market anxiety as the deadline approached with no resolution confirmed.
