Iran’s senior leaders rejected President Trump’s ultimatum Monday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Washington, Israel and Tehran exchanged strikes across the region. The confrontations included U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian infrastructure and Iranian missile and drone strikes on Israeli cities and Gulf energy facilities.
Trump posted a social-media ultimatum Sunday, saying the strait must be reopened by Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET and warning of strikes on Iranian infrastructure if it remained closed. Hours earlier he posted a profane message threatening action. International law experts note that deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure that does not contribute to military action can constitute war crimes under the Geneva Conventions.
Iranian officials responded with defiance. Seyyed Mehdi Tabatabai, a spokesman for Iran’s president, described Trump’s message as an outburst of “desperation and anger,” and said the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened only after compensation and a new legal arrangement, funded in part by transit fees. The foreign ministry said Iran is determined to defend its sovereignty “with all might,” and Iran’s U.N. mission accused the U.S. president of attempting to drag the region into prolonged conflict and of inciting terror against civilians.
Diplomatic moves under way
Envoys from Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey reportedly presented both Washington and Tehran with a proposal for a 45-day ceasefire that would include reopening the strait, according to the Associated Press. The proposal was delivered to Iran’s foreign minister and to the U.S. Middle East envoy. Qatar called for renewed negotiations, and Oman said it was working with Iranian diplomats while independent experts from both sides put forward options to keep shipping lanes open.
Targeting of IRGC intelligence chief
Iran confirmed the death of Majid Khadami, the intelligence chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ paramilitary branch. Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, said Israel would continue efforts to target Iranian leaders and warned it could strike Iran’s national infrastructure if attacks on Israeli civilians persist. Israel also announced plans to accelerate production of missile interceptors amid heavy air-defense activity.
Strikes and counterstrikes
Israeli officials said U.S. and Israeli jets hit Iran’s petrochemical plants, steel works and other sites Israel says supported missile production. Iran launched missiles and drones aimed at Israel and targets across the Persian Gulf, saying it struck refineries and fuel-supply facilities used by militaries. Iranian projectiles landed in central Israel, including Tel Aviv and Haifa; several people were treated for mild injuries in Haifa after a missile struck a residential building, and four people were reported killed there in a separate strike on Sunday.
In Kuwait, Iranian drones struck the Shuwaikh oil sector complex, igniting fires and causing damage at facilities run by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and other operators. Iran also struck power and desalination plants in Kuwait. In the United Arab Emirates, a telecom building and a port were targeted; UAE authorities reported intercepting missiles and dozens of drones and said air defenses remained actively engaged.
Broader regional risks
Aliakbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, warned that Iran might also see the Bab al-Mandeb strait — the Red Sea chokepoint connecting to the Suez Canal — as a legitimate target, saying Tehran viewed Bab al‑Mandeb with “the same intensity as Hormuz.” His comment suggested a potential role for Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen and raised concerns about wider disruptions to energy shipments and global trade.
Reporting contributions: Carrie Kahn and Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv; Aya Batrawy in Dubai; Tina Kraja in Washington, D.C.