Tensions across the Middle East are intensifying after Iran rejected a proposed 45-day ceasefire, insisting that any agreement must deliver a permanent end to the war.
U.S. President Donald Trump escalated pressure on Tehran, issuing a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route. He warned that failure to comply could prompt sweeping strikes on key infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, and said he was “not at all” concerned about potential war crimes accusations tied to such actions.
The United Nations sharply rebuked that stance. Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned that targeting civilian infrastructure would violate international law and called for immediate restraint as the situation grows more volatile.
Hostilities continued to expand across multiple fronts. Israel launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iranian targets early Tuesday, triggering retaliatory missile fire from Tehran toward Israel and parts of the Gulf.
The human toll is mounting rapidly. More than 1,900 people have been reported killed in Iran, though casualty updates have slowed. In Lebanon, over 1,400 people have died and more than one million have been displaced. Casualties have also been reported in Israel, the West Bank and among U.S. forces, underscoring the widening scope of the conflict.