A US deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on bridges, power plants and other infrastructure neared on April 7, 2026, as Tehran rejected a temporary ceasefire and the region braced for possible escalation.
Explosions were reported on Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal, the semi‑official Mehr news agency said; the US military had struck the island in mid‑March. Oil prices rose sharply as the deadline approached, with Brent trading above $111 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate near $115 — more than 50% higher since the war began — on fears that attacks or reprisals could further tighten supplies.
Iran rejected a Pakistan‑brokered ceasefire proposal that would have paused hostilities for 45 days, demanding instead a permanent end to the war. State media said Tehran’s response included 10 conditions covering sanctions relief, reconstruction and guarantees for safe passage through the strait. President Donald Trump warned Iran could be “taken out in one night” if it did not agree, threatening widespread strikes by early Wednesday. UN Secretary‑General António Guterres cautioned that targeting civilian infrastructure would violate international law.
Security incidents and warnings multiplied across the region and beyond. A gunbattle outside the building housing the Israeli consulate in Istanbul left at least two attackers dead and one wounded; one police officer was injured. In Saudi Arabia, overnight strikes reportedly set fire to a major petrochemical complex in Jubail, home to plants operated by SABIC, forcing evacuations. Iran’s semi‑official Fars agency reported the attack targeted petrochemical facilities.
Israel’s military urged Iranians to avoid train travel and stay away from railway lines until 9 p.m. local time, saying being on or near trains could put civilians at risk. Iran has restricted internet access for weeks, limiting direct circulation of such warnings inside the country, though Farsi satellite channels have relayed the message.
European and industry voices raised alarms about wider economic and geopolitical consequences. France’s foreign minister warned that strikes on civilian or energy infrastructure would almost certainly provoke reprisals and exacerbate already rising fuel prices. The German‑Russian Foreign Trade Chamber in Moscow said the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz was delivering an unexpected windfall to Russia, which was earning billions more from oil, gas and fertilizer exports — potentially tens of billions annually — and could use proceeds to finance its war in Ukraine.
As diplomatic efforts stalled and military warnings escalated, officials and markets watched the deadline closely amid fears that strikes on infrastructure could plunge the region and global economy into a deeper crisis.