Live Updates
Trump says ‘entire country’
of Iran could be taken out
if no deal is reached by
tomorrow
Here's the latest
• Trump’s deadline looms: US President Donald Trump said Iran could be “taken out in one night,” which “might” be Tuesday — a deadline he set for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He wouldn’t say whether the war is winding down, calling it a “critical period” that depends on Iran’s actions.
• Attacks on infrastructure: Trump reiterated threats to hit all of Iran’s bridges and power plants, claiming the Iranian people would be “willing to suffer” if it eventually secured their freedom. Tehran warned the consequences of such attacks will stretch beyond the region.
• Rejected ceasefire proposal: Trump earlier today called a proposal drafted by countries working to implement 45-day ceasefire a “significant step” but “not good enough.” Iran rejected the proposal and called for a permanent end to the war, according to Iranian state-run media.
• Rescue mission: Trump and other officials also recounted the rescue of a US service member from inside Iran this weekend.
Iran warns that US AI center in Abu Dhabi is "within range of Iranian missiles"
Iran threatened to strike an artificial intelligence center in the United Arab Emirates after an airstrike targeted Tehran’s Sharif University of Technology on Monday morning, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.
The strike damaged the university’s computing center and GPU facility, which provides infrastructure to the country’s AI capabilities, according to Tasnim, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The outlet highlighted that the US’s “Stargate” AI center in Abu Dhabi, which is being developed with OpenAI, Oracle and Nvidia, is “within range of Iranian missiles.”
“Iran has identified this as a strategic target and considers itself entitled to respond reciprocally under its legal rights,” the news agency said.
The threat follows a warning from Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, the commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters in Tehran, who cautioned that the “gates of hell will be opened upon you” if Iran’s infrastructure continues to face attacks.
Trump calls out countries who he says "didn't help" with war
President Donald Trump repeatedly railed against US allies who he claims “didn’t help us” with the war in Iran, calling them out by name.
Trump added of US assistance to the nations: “We’ve got 50,000 soldiers in Japan to protect them from North Korea; we have 45,000 soldiers in South Korea to protect us from Kim Jong Un.”
Trump then commended some Persian Gulf nations, admitting that their involvement is related to their proximity to the conflict: “Saudi Arabia has been excellent, Qatar has been excellent, UAE has been excellent, Bahrain, Kuwait.”
Trump dismisses question on his mental well-being after expletive-laden social media post
President Donald Trump today dismissed critics who have suggested the president should have his mental health examined following his profanity-laced social media post on Easter Sunday threatening to demolish Iran’s power plants and infrastructure.
Asked about the criticism of his social media post, in which he called the Iranians “crazy bastards,” Trump told the reporter mid-question, “I don’t care about critics.” Pressed that some are calling for an evaluation of his mental health, Trump shrugged off the question.
“I haven’t heard that,” the president said in a press conference, before suggesting that there should be “more people” like him.
“But if that’s the case, you’re gonna have to have more people like me, because our country was being ripped off on trade or everything for many years until I came along,” Trump told reporters. “So if that’s the case, you’re gonna have to have more people.”
Qatar condemns Iranian strikes, urges diplomatic solution
Qatar has condemned Iran’s continued targeting of the emirate and other states in the region and urged a diplomatic solution to end the war in Middle East.
This came during a phone between Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to a Qatari Foreign Ministry statement on Monday.
Al Thani expressed to Araghchi “Qatar’s condemnation of the ongoing Iranian targeting of Qatar and the countries of the region.”
He affirmed that “this escalation toward countries that have distanced themselves from the war constitutes a reckless endangerment of the region’s security and a disregard for its stability.”
Al Thani also denounced attacks on civilian infrastructure and national assets by all parties to the conflict as “unacceptable and condemnable” under any circumstances. He urged them to respect international law and spare civilians from the consequences of the fighting.
“A comprehensive and lasting diplomatic solution remains the sole option for resolving the crisis, thereby ensuring security and stability and sparing the region from further tension and escalation,” Al Thani added in the statement.
Israel orders dozens of Lebanese villages to flee north
Israel is ordering the residents of dozens of villages in southern Lebanon to leave their homes “immediately” and flee north of the Zahrani River.
“Hezbollah activities are forcing the (IDF) to take strong action against them in those areas,” IDF Arabic language spokesman Avichay Adraee wrote in a post on X, adding that the Israeli military “does not intend to harm” villagers.
The order comes as Israeli politicians have floated increasingly far-reaching plans to destroy Lebanese villages along the border with Israel and expel their inhabitants. An Israeli military official told CNN last week that the IDF is considering a plan to destroy civilian infrastructure within 2 to 3 kilometers of the Israeli border to create a buffer between Lebanon and northern Israel.
Lawmakers from Israel’s far-right decried those plans as insufficient over the weekend, demanding that the military consider the wholesale expulsion of Lebanese civilians south of the Litani River and create a “new security border.”
The order issued Monday appears to go further. All of the villages listed are north of the Litani.
Nonetheless, the lawmakers’ demands were nearly identical to plans outlined by Defense Minister Israel Katz last month. Katz said that the Israeli military intends to destroy Lebanese villages and “maintain security control over the Litani area,” barring the 600,000 Lebanese who fled north from returning to their homes “until the safety and security of northern Israeli residents is ensured.”
The destruction will be “in accordance with the Rafah and Khan Younis model in Gaza, in order to remove the threat to Israeli communities,” Katz said, referring to two Palestinian cities that Israel bombed heavily during the war in Gaza.
Asked whether the order on Monday is related to Katz’s comments, the IDF declined to comment.
Trump: Plan is ready to destroy every Iranian bridge and power plant by midnight tomorrow
President Donald Trump said the US has a plan under which every bridge and power plant in Iran could be destroyed by midnight tomorrow.
Remember: Trump over the weekend appeared to set a new deadline for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time,” he wrote, after issuing a profane message renewing threats to bomb key Iranian infrastructure, including power plants, if Tehran does not comply.
Targeting critical civilian infrastructure could be considered a war crime. Trump has declared and then modified deadlines for the opening of the strait multiple times.
Trump on his desire for US obtaining Iranian oil: "To the winner belong the spoils"
President Donald Trump offered some insight into how he thinks about controlling oil in both Iran and Venezuela, as he’s said he would like to seize Iran oil: “To the winner belong the spoils.”
“If I had my choice, yeah, because I’m a businessman first,” Trump told reporters at a press conference on the US-Iran war this afternoon, when asked to clarify his comments from earlier in the day regarding his views about seizing Iranian oil — which he acknowledged could be politically risky.
“With Venezuela, as you know, the war was over in about 45 minutes,” Trump said, referring to the US operation in January to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. “And we have great people running Venezuela, very good people. I mean, the relationship is good, and we are a partner with Venezuela, and we’ve taken hundreds of millions of barrels, hundreds of millions.”
Venezuela’s interim leadership has indicated a willingness to sell oil to the United States and partner with the US more closely.
Although Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire for a reprisal of the situation in similarly oil-rich Iran, he said earlier today that he doesn’t know whether Americans support such a move.
Trump says Greenland dispute sparked rift between US and NATO
President Donald Trump on Monday suggested that the US’ widening rift with NATO began when he first suggested taking over Greenland.
“It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland,” he said during a press conference. “We want Greenland. They don’t want to give it to us. And I said, ‘bye, bye.’”
Trump’s remarks came ahead of a planned White House visit later this week from NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The president has railed against various NATO members for refusing to aid the US’ war with Iran, including decisions by a handful of nations to close their airspace or military bases to the US military.
“NATO is a paper tiger,” Trump said, shrugging off the prospect of the US giving away its status as the alliance’s de facto leader. “We didn’t need them, obviously, because they haven’t helped at all.”
Trump says "free traffic of oil" must be part of any potential Iran deal
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz must be part of a proposal to end the war with Iran, President Donald Trump said.
“We have to have a deal that’s acceptable to me, and part of that deal is going to be we want free traffic of oil and everything,” he said at a news conference at the White House today.
The president also conceded that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is “different” from his other objectives as negotiators work to end the war with Iran.
Trump said earlier that a proposal put forth by other countries for a 45-day ceasefire was “not good enough.” The ceasefire plan is viewed as a last-ditch effort to stave off the massive strikes on Iranian power plants and other infrastructure that Trump has threatened if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked.
Asked by CNN’s Kristen Holmes whether he would accept a deal that did not include opening the strait or whether that is now a priority, Trump said, “I would say it’s a very big priority.”
The president also said he is not sure whether Tehran has the ability to drop mines in the Strait of Hormuz anymore.
“They don’t have any mine-droppers anymore,” he said. “I’m not even sure they have any mines there, by the way. … I think there might be none because they’re very good bullsh*t artists.”
Trump says US should impose tolls on Strait of Hormuz instead of Iran
President Donald Trump says the United States — rather than Iran — should impose a toll on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
“What about us charging tolls?” he said. “I’d rather do that than let them have them.”
Iran has asserted its control over the critical waterway by issuing a new toll system for tankers looking to pass through. The country approved a plan last month to impose tolls on ships passing through the strait and enforce “Iran’s sovereign role.”
Trump said he believed the US should issue tolls because of its military success in the current conflict.
"I can’t tell you”: Trump won’t say whether war is winding down
President Donald Trump wouldn’t say Monday whether the war with Iran is winding down.
Pressed about whether he’s winding down or escalating the war, Trump said, “I can’t tell you — depends what they do. This is a critical period.”
The president then addressed his Tuesday deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. “They have a period of —well, ‘til tomorrow at 8:00. I gave them an extension.”
He said his initial deadline for Monday “was inappropriate the day after Easter. I want to be a nice person.”
“Now we’ll see what happens. I can tell you they’re negotiating. We think in good faith. We’re going to find out,” Trump said.
Trump says Iran is "active, willing participant" in negotiations to end war
President Donald Trump said during a press conference Monday that Iran is an “active, willing participant” in negotiations to potentially end the war.
Trump also told reporters that talks with intermediaries to end the conflict are “going well.”
“Essentially they have till 8 p.m. tomorrow night, eastern time, but we are dealing with them. I think it’s going well. Mr. Witkoff is here and JD is involved in the dealing. Mr. Witkoff is sitting right here and I think it’s going fine, but we’ll have to see,” he said.
The president has previously confirmed that Vice President JD Vance, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner are speaking with intermediary countries about the Iran war.
CNN reported earlier Monday that Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have all been acting as mediators between the US and Iran but that indirect talks stalled last week and work toward an in-person meeting had appeared to end.
Trump says Iranian people "willing to suffer" for eventual freedom
President Donald Trump said Monday the Iranian people would be “willing to suffer” from his threatened attacks on civilian energy and infrastructure if it eventually secured their freedom.
Asked specifically if attacking those sites inside Iran would be punishing the civilian population, Trump replied: “It’s suffering. They would be willing to suffer that in order to have freedom.”
The president also argued that the Iranian people want the US military to continue its bombing campaign.
“We’ve had numerous intercepts, ‘Please keep bombing.’ Bombs that are dropping near their homes, ‘Please keep bombing. Do it.’ And these are people that are living where the bombs are exploding. And when we leave and we’re not hitting those areas, they’re saying, ‘Please come back, come back, come back.’”
Trump’s comments come amid criticism that his vow to “blow up” Iranian energy plants, bridges and desalinization plants would constitute war crimes. Trump has given Tehran until 8 p.m. ET Tuesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or he’ll move forward with such attacks.
“All I can tell you is they want freedom. They have lived in a world that you know nothing about. It’s a violent, horrible world,” Trump said.
How many troops did it take to rescue airman? US military wants to "keep that a secret"
As President Donald Trump described the risky mission to rescue the downed airman hiding in Iran, he turned to his top general for help: How many troops did the US end up sending for the operation?
“Uh,” Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said hesitantly, “I’d love to keep that a secret.”
Trump acquiesced, smiling and crediting Caine for a “pretty good” answer. But he couldn’t resist offering an approximation, telling reporters that “hundreds of people” were part of the rescue effort.
“Hundreds of people could have been killed,” Trump said. “So we had people that were within the military that said this is not wise, and I understood that. But I decided to do it.”
Trump says not all of his military advisers were supportive of rescue mission
President Donald Trump said not all his military advisers supported an operation to rescue the crew of a downed F-15E fighter jet in Iran.
“Not everybody was on board,” Trump said during a Monday press conference, adding there were certain “military people, very professional, that preferred not doing it.”
He said the potential human cost of the operation led to the misgivings among some military advisers.
“There were people within the military that said it’s unwise,” he said, adding later: “Hundreds of people could have been killed.”
Trump said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine were supportive of the mission.
Ultimately, Trump said he understood the dangers of the operation.
“I was told that this is a very dangerous mission. I understood. They didn’t say, it’s a foolish mission. They said, ‘You know, we’re going to be sacrificing hundreds of people do this,’” Trump recounted.
A-10 shot down by Iran was part of rescue mission for F-15 fighter crew
The American A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft that was shot down by Iran on Friday was part of rescue operations for the two crew members from a downed F-15E Strike Eagle fighter, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said during a press conference Monday.
The pilot of the A-10, a single-seater aircraft, safely ejected and was rescued outside of Iran after flying the plane away from Iranian territory, CNN previously reported.
The A-10 was one of the aircraft primarily responsible for communicating with the downed pilot of the F-15, who was rescued first on Friday. The second crew member from the fighter, a weapons systems officer, was rescued as part of separate operations Sunday.
The A-10 was hit by enemy fire during the mission while laying down suppressive fire to keep Iranian forces away from the pilot as the American rescue force closed in, Caine said.
“During this engagement, one of the Sandy aircraft, the one primarily responsible for communicating with the downed pilot, was hit by enemy fire,” Caine said. “This pilot continued to fight, continued the mission, and then upon exit, flew his aircraft into another country and determined that the airplane was not landable. … The pilot then made the decision to eject over friendly territory, and was quickly and safely recovered and is doing fine.”
The “Sandy” aircraft, Caine said, have only one job: “Get to the survivor, bring the rescue force forward, and put themselves between that survivor on the ground and the enemy.”
“The A-10 force and the rescue force did a fantastic job rescuing Dude44A,” Caine said, referencing the call sign of the downed pilot.
Joint Chiefs chair says rescue operation depended on US airman's "commitment to surviving"
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said that the US operation to rescue the downed American airman was successful because of the crew member’s “absolute commitment to surviving.”
Trump and Hegseth invoke God while describing rescue of US airmen downed in Iran
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth invoked God while praising the successful missions that rescued two US airmen whose fighter jet was downed over Iran last week.
“God was watching us — amazing,” Trump said during a news conference at the White House, adding that it happened around “Easter territory.”
“When you go into these areas, you don’t come out like we came out. God was watching us, I tell you,” the president said.
Hegseth, describing the plight of the airman rescued after more than a day hiding in Iran, said, “When he was finally able to activate his emergency transponder, his first message was simple and it was powerful. He sent a message: ‘God is good.’ In that moment of isolation and danger, his faith and fighting spirit shone through.”
The remarks come after Pope Leo XIV’s first Easter Sunday message, in which he urged those with the power to unleash wars to choose peace.
Speaking from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo said: “Let us abandon every desire for conflict, domination and power, and implore the Lord to grant his peace to a world ravaged by wars and marked by a hatred and indifference that make us feel powerless in the face of evil.”
Finding downed airman was like "hunting for a single grain of sand," CIA director says
Locating and rescuing the service member hiding in Iran after his jet was downed was a “daunting challenge,” CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Monday.
It was “comparable to hunting for a single grain of sand in the middle of a desert,” he told reporters at the White House.
“This was also a race against the clock, as it was critical that we locate the downed aviator as quickly as possible, while at the same time keeping our enemies misdirected,” Ratcliffe said, adding that the CIA “executed a deception campaign” to confuse Iran over the missing airman.
The CIA director said his agency found and confirmed the service member was alive on Saturday morning using “human and technical assets.” The agency relayed that information to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who told President Donald Trump, setting the rescue mission in motion, Ratcliffe said.
“Because it is the unique tradition of US Armed Forces that we leave no man or woman behind, this was a no-fail mission,” he said.
The service member was “concealed in a mountain crevice, still invisible to the enemy, but not to the CIA,” Ratcliffe said.
Trump vows search for "leaker" who disclosed officer was missing, threatens to jail reporters
President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration is searching for the “leaker” behind initial reports that an Air Force officer was missing in Iran following the downing of his fighter jet last week.
Trump also threatened jailtime for the reporter who “did the story” on the missing officer if that reporter refuses to give up their source.
“It became a much more difficult operation because a leaker leaked,” Trump said during a press conference detailing the two separate rescues of crew members whose plane was shot down over Iran. “We’re looking very hard to find that leaker.”
The president later added: “The person that did the story will go to jail if he doesn’t say.”
Trump criticized the revelations of a second missing crew member for complicating the US military’s efforts to rescue him, arguing that it alerted the Iranians and prompted their efforts to try to find him first.
“We’re going to go to the media company that released it, and we’re going to say national security, give it up or go to jail,” Trump said. “We have to find that leaker because that’s a sick person.”
Trump recounts harrowing ordeal downed airman faced before being rescued
President Donald Trump recounted some of the harrowing ordeal faced by the service member the US military rescued from inside Iran over the weekend after his F-15E fighter jet was shot down.
Trump said the weapons systems officer scaled steep terrain with his “face bleeding rather profusely” after ejecting from his plane.
“The officer followed his training and climbed into the treacherous mountain terrain and started climbing toward a higher altitude, something they were trained to do in order to evade capture,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
The officer treated his own wounds and contacted American forces to transit his location, Trump said.
The massive mobilization of US forces to conduct the rescue involved 155 aircraft, including four bombers, 64 fighters, 48 refueling tankers, 13 rescue aircraft and more, Trump said.
It also included a subterfuge operation meant to confuse the Iranians over the downed officer’s whereabouts.
“We wanted them to look in different areas. So we were scattered all over,” Trump said.
Countries across Middle East report being targeted by strikes today
Several people have reportedly been killed in attacks across the Middle East today, according to regional authorities, as the conflict continues despite discussions on a ceasefire proposal.
In Iran today, at least 13 people were killed in an attack on two residential buildings in Baharestan County, a densely populated area southwest of Tehran, Baharestan’s governor said, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency.
In eastern Tehran, four people were killed and seven injured in an early-morning attack on residential areas there, Mehr News reported.
Israel also struck Iran’s South Pars petrochemical complex in the southwestern energy hub of Asaluyeh, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said today.
“Numerous aerial assets, including aircraft and helicopters, as well as additional military infrastructure at three airports across Tehran,” were also struck, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
At least 10 people were killed and dozens were wounded in overnight attacks on Lebanon, according to state media reports. Israel’s military said it struck “launchers and weapons storage facilities concealed within structures and civilian infrastructure” in the country.
Israel’s military said it intercepted missiles launched toward it from Iran in the early hours of this morning. Missiles were also seen in the sky above Jerusalem.
In the United Arab Emirates, a Ghanian national was wounded by falling debris from an intercepted projectile in Abu Dhabi today, according to the city’s government media office
Other countries including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia also said they intercepted missiles fired toward them today.
CNN’s Abeer Salman, Lex Harvey, Ally Barnard, Zulfaqar Samra, Isaac Yee, Jessie Yeung, Tal Shalev and Dana Karni contributed to this report.
Israel kills senior Iranian security official
Another senior security official in Iran has been killed, according to both Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.
Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi, head of Intelligence for the IRGC, was assassinated early Monday, according to a statement from the IRGC.
The IRGC described him as a “highly esteemed commander” who had devoted “nearly half a century of loyal and courageous service to the Revolution.”
Israel has targeted dozens of senior officials in the IRGC, the Iranian military and the Basij paramilitary group since the conflict began at the end of February.
Katz said the Israeli military killed Khadami, who he said was one of those “directly responsible” for the deaths of Israeli civilians “and one of the three most senior figures” in the IRGC.
“Iran’s leaders are living with a sense of persecution. We will continue to hunt them down one by one,” Katz said.
He added that Israeli strikes have severely damaged Iran’s steel infrastructure and the petrochemical industry — “and today, and every day, there will be more to come.”
A message issued in the name of Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, hailed the “martyrdom” of the Iranian commander.
The message described Khademi as an IRGC major general who spent decades in carrying out “extensive and silent jihad in the security, intelligence and defensive arenas of the country.”
Trump says Iran could be "taken out" in one night, and that night "might" be Tuesday
President Donald Trump said in a press conference Monday that Iran could be “taken out” in one night and said that night “might” be Tuesday evening.
Trump has warned repeatedly that the US could strike power plants, bridges and other infrastructure in Iran if Tehran fails to make a deal or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil thoroughfare. Over the weekend, he said Iran had until Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET to make a deal.
CNN’s Riane Lumer contributed to this report.
Happening now: Trump holds news conference on Iran war
US President Donald Trump is holding a news conference on the Iran war.
He is flanked by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine and CIA Director John Ratcliffe in a packed White House press briefing room
This comes after Trump earlier called a proposal drafted by several countries working to implement a 45-day ceasefire a “significant step” but “not good enough.”
Iran also rejected the proposal and called for a permanent end to the war, according to Iranian state-run media.
We’ll bring you updates as we get them.
Tehran seeks to punish Iranians abroad accused of backing US-Israeli strikes
Iranian media outlets are calling on the public to identify Iranians abroad celebrating US-Israeli strikes on Iran, as cases have been opened against dozens of expatriates accused of cooperating with what Iran calls a “hostile enemy.”
Fars News Agency, an outlet affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), posted a message calling on the public to “identify Persian-speaking traitors.” It urged viewers who recognize people in a video “dancing and celebrating the bombing of Iran” to report them through a judiciary-linked website.
Fars said the effort is being carried out “with the planning of the Judiciary” and is aimed at identifying individuals for asset confiscation. It also published the appeal alongside a video it said showed hundreds of Iranians abroad dancing and chanting in celebration of the strikes.
Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency reported Sunday that Iran’s judiciary has opened 100 legal cases against Iranian nationals living abroad, citing public tips and follow-up by intelligence agencies.
“These cases are being pursued with the aim of issuing indictments, conducting legal proceedings, and seizing assets,” Mehr reported.
At least 130 children killed in strikes on Lebanon in past 5 weeks, Health Ministry says
At least 130 children have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon since March 2, according to an update shared by the Lebanese Health Ministry today.
Israel began attacks on what it says are Hezbollah targets in the country exactly five weeks ago. In that time, at least 57 health workers and 101 women have also been killed, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.
Thousands of people have been killed since the current conflict in the Middle East began, according to a CNN tally of death tolls released by regional authorities. Fighting that began with the US-Israeli strikes on Iran has spread to involve proxy groups backed by Tehran, including Hezbollah, which operates in southern Lebanon.
Here’s what the authorities have said about the number of people reportedly killed in the region since the war began on February 28. CNN is not able to independently verify these numbers.
- Iran: More than 2,000 people have been killed in Iran since joint US-Israeli strikes on the country began, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said Thursday. Iran’s Health Ministry said today that at least 216 children are among those killed, including 17 children under 5 years old.
- Lebanon: At least 1,497 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon since March 2, the country’s Health Ministry said today. At least 130 children are among the dead, the ministry said.
- Iraq: At least 107 people have been killed across Iraq since the war began, authorities have said. In the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region, at least 13 people have been killed, according to the regional government.
- Israel: At least 23 civilians have been killed inside Israel since the conflict began, not including those who died indirectly because of strikes. At least 11 Israeli soldiers have also been killed in southern Lebanon, according to the military.
- US: Thirteen US service members have been killed since the war with Iran began, according to the US Central Command.
Deaths due to the conflict have also been reported in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, the occupied West Bank, Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia since February 28, according to local authorities.
CNN’s Charbel Mallo, Issy Ronald, Aqeel Najim, Nechirvan Mando, Dana Karni, Eyad Kourdi and Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.
Trump says ceasefire proposal is "not good enough" as Tehran rebuffs temporary truce
US President Donald Trump called a proposal for a 45-day ceasefire with Iran a “significant step” but said it is “not good enough.”
Trump said he’s the only person who can determine if there’s a ceasefire in the Iran war.
Iran has rejected the proposal, saying a pause in fighting would allow adversaries to prepare for the continuation of the conflict. According to Iranian state-run media, Tehran’s 10-clause response calls for a permanent end to the war “in line with Iran’s considerations.”
Meanwhile, Trump doubled down on threats against Iran as his Tuesday deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz looms.
We’re tracking the latest developments as they unfold. Catch up on this morning’s top headlines:
- Trump said earlier that Vice President JD Vance “could be” involved in an in-person meeting to negotiate an end to the war. The US president also confirmed that Vance, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are speaking with intermediary countries about the conflict.
- Israel struck Iran’s South Pars petrochemical complex in the southwestern energy hub of Asaluyeh, Defense Minister Israel Katz said.
- Attacks on Iran’s infrastructure will have consequences that stretch beyond Iran and the region, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his French counterpart. Separately, European Council President António Costa warned that the targeting of energy facilities would be “illegal and unacceptable.”
- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that ongoing military activity near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant could cause a “severe radiological accident” with potential consequences beyond the country’s borders.
- Threats against civilian infrastructure cannot “become the new norm in warfare,” the Red Cross said today, becoming the latest organization calling for de-escalation.
- The United Arab Emirates insists that any ceasefire in Iran must address Persian Gulf Arab states’ security concerns and avoid “a much more dangerous environment in the region,” a top official said.
- Trump provided an update on the status of the two US airmen who were downed in Iran and said, “They’re doing well.”
- Israel also said it killed a prominent Iranian commander, Asghar Bagheri, in a Tehran strike. The statement on Bagheri followed the killing of another senior security official, Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi, head of intelligence for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
- Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels will uphold a ceasefire with the US as long as Washington “adheres to its commitment to halt its aggression” against them, a senior official said.
- Meanwhile, the average price of a gallon of US regular gas edged up another cent, reaching $4.12 in the latest reading from AAA.
CNN’s Aileen Graef, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Dalia Abdelwahab, Nadeen Ebrahim, Becky Anderson, Billy Stockwell, Chris Isidore, Tim Lister and Tal Shalev contributed to this report.
Iran rejects ceasefire in response to proposal for ending war, according to state media
Iran has submitted its response to a ceasefire proposal put forward by several countries and conveyed through Pakistan, according to Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
Iran’s 10-clause response calls for what it described as a permanent end to the war “in line with Iran’s considerations,” IRNA said.
Tehran’s other demands include “ending regional hostilities, establishing a protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, reconstruction, and the lifting of sanctions,” IRNA added.
Countries working to end the war in Iran have drafted a proposal calling for a 45-day ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, as US President Donald Trump threatens to dramatically escalate the conflict, a person familiar with the proposal said.
The plan was sent to the United States and Iran late on Sunday and is viewed as a last-ditch effort to stave off Trump’s threat of massive strikes on Iran’s power plants, bridges and other infrastructure.
Trump “not worried” about war crimes as he threatens critical infrastructure
President Donald Trump said Monday he is “not worried” when pressed on whether US strikes on power plants and other critical infrastructure in Iran could constitute a war crime.
“I’m not worried about it,” Trump told reporters at the White House Easter Egg Roll.
He added: “You know the war crime? The war crime is allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump has warned repeatedly that the US could strike power plants, bridges, and other infrastructure in Iran if Tehran fails to make a deal or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil thoroughfare. Over the weekend, he said Iran had until Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET to make a deal.
Trump says Americans would be wary of the US taking Iranian oil
President Donald Trump restated his wish to “take the oil” in Iran but said he doesn’t know “that the American public wants that.”
Trump’s concession seems to recognize there is little appetite for the extended engagement in Iran that would be necessary to extract oil and other resources.
Some context: CNN polling shows just one-third of the public believes Trump has a clear plan to handle the situation in Iran. Americans’ already broad disapproval of US military action in Iran has grown since the start of the war, the poll found. Just 34% of Americans now say they approve at least somewhat of the US decision to take military action in Iran, down seven points from a CNN poll conducted just after the start of the war.
CNN’s Ariel Edwards-Levy contributed to this post.
Trump says he's “only one” who will decide on a US-Iran ceasefire
President Donald Trump said Monday he’s the only person who’s going to determine there’s a ceasefire in the Iran war.
“The only one that’s going to set a ceasefire is me,” Trump told reporters on the sidelines of the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.
Earlier Monday, Trump called a proposal calling for a 45-day ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which intermediary countries sent to the US and Iran late Sunday, a “significant step” but “not good enough.”
Vance "could be" involved with in-person meeting on Iran war, Trump says
President Donald Trump said today the vice president “could be” involved in an in-person meeting to negotiate an end to the Iran war when reporters asked about the possibility.
The president confirmed that Vice President JD Vance, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are speaking with intermediary countries about the Iran war.
“They’re all unified and they’re all talking together,” Trump told reporters at the White House Easter Egg Roll.
CNN reported earlier on Monday that Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have all been acting as mediators between the US and Iran but that indirect talks stalled last week and work toward an in-person meeting had appeared to end.
CNN’s Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
Trump says he used foul language in Easter social media post "only to make my point"
President Donald Trump said he used foul language in his Truth Social post threatening Iran on Easter Sunday “only to make my point.”
Trump posted that morning, “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”
A reporter asked at today’s White House Easter Egg Roll why he had used the vulgar language, and Trump responded: “Only to make my point, I think you’ve heard it before.”
Trump reiterates threats to strike Iran bridges and power plants, teasing a "worse" option
President Donald Trump doubled down on his threats against Iran today, saying he had even “worse” options than his previous threats to bomb the nation’s power plants and bridges if Tehran does not make a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“They’ll have no bridges, they’ll have no power plants, they’ll have no anything. I won’t go further because there are other things that are worse than those two,” Trump told reporters on the South Lawn during the White House Easter Egg Roll.
The president has set a deadline of Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET for Iran to agree to a deal.
A last-ditch plan calling for a temporary 45-day ceasefire was sent to the US and Iran late Sunday as an effort to stave off massive strikes on Iranian plants and other infrastructure.
Trump’s latest threat to Iran was in a profanity-laced post on Truth Social on Sunday. “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP” the president wrote.
Trump plans to host a press conference at the White House at 1 p.m. ET today.
Netanyahu brags about South Pars petrochemical plant strike in new video
In a new video statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bragged about his country’s new strike on a petrochemical complex in Iran and touted his close relationship with the White House.
Earlier Monday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the Jam and Damavand facilities – which account for around 85% of Iranian petrochemical exports – were rendered inoperable.
Netanyahu also referenced his conversation with US President Donald Trump yesterday, saying that Trump “spoke about (Israel) in superlatives.”
Both US airmen downed in Iran are “doing well,” Trump says
President Donald Trump said Monday that the two airmen whose fighter jet was downed over Iran are “recovering very well.”
“He’s doing really well,” Trump said of the airman who spent more than a day hiding in Iran before being rescued in a high-stakes operation. The other crew member was rescued shortly after the crash.
“They are both recovering very well. They were both injured, and they’re doing well,” Trump told reporters at the White House Easter Egg Roll.
The airmen’s F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was downed on Friday, marking the first time a US aircraft has been shot down over Iran during the conflict.
The comments marked Trump’s first public remarks on the rescue, which he is set to address further in a briefing to reporters at 1 p.m. ET.
Trump says the Iranian people "will fight back” if they can get weapons
President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that the Iranian people “will fight back” against the country’s regime if they can get weapons.
“The Iranian people will fight back as soon as they know they’re not going to be shot and as soon as they can get weapons,” Trump said.
The US president, who spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the White House Easter Egg Roll, added that in his view, if the Iranian people had weapons, “Iran would give up in two seconds because they wouldn’t be able to take it.”
Trump said that the Iranian people “want to hear bombs because they want to be free.”
“We’re fighting for them. We’re fighting for their future, and I will tell you, it was given to me loud and clear — the time the Iranian people are the most unhappy … is when those bombs stop,” he said.
The president reiterated that he hoped the conflict would be over quickly, saying he wants to “finish it up.” It comes as Trump traded threats with the Iranian regime over the weekend and gave another ultimatum for the country to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Before the start of the Iran war, Trump had threatened the country’s regime as it carried out a deadly crackdown on protesters.
Trump calls ceasefire proposal "significant step" but "not good enough"
President Donald Trump called a proposal for a 45-day ceasefire with Iran a “significant step” but said it is “not good enough.”
“They made a proposal, and it’s a significant proposal. It’s a significant step. It’s not good enough, but it’s a very significant step,” Trump told reporters about the draft put forward by countries working to end the war.
“They’ve made — they’re negotiating now, and they’ve made a very significant step. We’ll see what happens,” he added.
Trump’s comments came at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, where he also repeated that Iran leadership is now “much more reasonable.”
“The first regime was taken out, the second regime was taken out. Now the third group of people that we’re dealing with is not as radicalized, and we think they’re actually much smarter,” he said.
The ceasefire plan was sent to the United States and Iran late on Sunday and is viewed as a last-ditch effort to stave off the massive strikes on Iranian power plants and other infrastructure that Trump has threatened if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked.
Israeli strike kills official from anti-Hezbollah party in Lebanon
An official from the Lebanese Forces Party, one of Hezbollah’s main political rivals, was killed in an Israeli strike yesterday, according to reporting from Reuters and Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).
Pierre Moawad and his wife were killed by the strike, which targeted an apartment in the hills of Ain Saadeh, east of Beirut, NNA reported.
Footage taken by Reuters showed destruction to the apartment building, with rubble lying on the ground below it.
The Lebanese Forces (LF) is a major Christian political party in Lebanon and holds the most seats of any party in the country’s parliament.
The LF has also repeatedly called for Hezbollah to give up its weapons.
Iranian embassies on social media mock Trump's expletive-laden message
Iranian embassies around the world have responded with ridicule to US President Donald Trump’s expletive-laden message demanding that Iran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
CNN’s international correspondent Paula Hancocks reports:
How diplomacy between the US and Iran has progressed during the war
Countries working to end the Iran war have drafted a proposal calling for a 45-day ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a person familiar told CNN today, as US President Donald Trump threatens to dramatically escalate the conflict.
Indirect nuclear talks were taking place between the US and Iran before the war began, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying shortly after the conflict broke out that Trump “ultimately ordered (the) bombing of the negotiating table.”
In the days following this, both Trump and Iranian officials rejected the idea of negotiating an end to the conflict, though towards the end of last month, it seemed that the US president had a change of heart.
Here’s how things have progressed since then:
What Trump and the US has said
After rejecting and downplaying prospects of a ceasefire with Iran for weeks, on March 23, Trump said in a Truth Social post that the US and Iran had held “very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East.”
Trump said Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were involved in talks, but did not identify the person they were communicating with on the Iranian side.
After several non-committal public comments made by Iran, Trump expressed frustration with Tehran’s approach on March 26, warning the country to “get serious soon, before it is too late.” Since then, Trump has made several more threats, including that Iran would be “living in Hell” if it doesn’t open the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday.
What Iran has said
Speaking today, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei rejected the idea of a temporary ceasefire, saying it would allow the US and Israel to pause and prepare for the continuation of the war.
“We are calling for an end to the war and for preventing its recurrence,” Baghaei was cited as saying by Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
Iran has frequently rejected the notion that is in talks with the US, despite Trump’s claims.
Esmail Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, asked on March 24: “Can anyone believe (the US’) claims of diplomacy or mediation are credible when they started this war and continue attacking us?”
Araghchi said the next day that the US had sent multiple messages to Tehran through what he described as “friendly countries,” but he stressed that the communications did not amount to negotiations.
How Pakistan and other countries have been involved
On March 23, when Trump first said that the US and Iran were discussing an end to the war, a Pakistani Foreign Office spokesperson told CNN that Islamabad was “already ready to host talks.”
Two days later, two senior Trump administration officials told CNN that officials were working to arrange a meeting in Pakistan to discuss an off-ramp to the war.
Pakistan also delivered a 15-point plan proposed by Washington to Iran that addressed issues like Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and its ballistic missile program.
Other countries, including Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have also been working to facilitate an end to the war.
CNN’s Kevin Liptak, Aileen Graef, Nadeen Ebrahim, Billy Stockwell, Adam Pourahmadi, Betsy Klein, Donald Judd, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Todd Symons, Sophia Saifi, Azaz Syed, Sana Noor Haq, Ivan Watson and Sophie Tanno contributed to this reporting.
Red Cross joins calls for de-escalation after Trump threatens Iranian infrastructure
Threats against civilian infrastructure cannot “become the new norm in warfare,” the Red Cross said today, becoming the latest organization calling for de-escalation after US President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iranian power plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that attacks on Iran’s infrastructure will prompt consequences that stretch beyond the region and will have “destructive effects on global energy and the economy.” Iran has also targeted energy facilities and other infrastructure in Persian Gulf countries.
Earlier today, European Council President António Costa also warned that the targeting of civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, would be “illegal and unacceptable.”
Israel strikes large Iranian petrochemical facility, defense minister says
Israel struck Iran’s South Pars petrochemical complex in the southwestern energy hub of Asaluyeh, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Monday.
The attack targeted the Jam and Damavand petrochemical facilities which are vital parts of Iran’s energy and export network, according to Iran’s state-owned Tasnim news agency.
Katz described the sites as “critical assets responsible for around half of Iran’s petrochemical output”. The Asaluyeh strike follows an Israeli military attack last week on petrochemical plants in southwestern Iran’s Khuzestan Province.
Katz claimed that combined the two complexes account for roughly 85% of Iran’s petrochemical exports, and that they have been rendered inoperative. He said the strike were “a severe economic blow” that would cost Iran “tens of billions of dollars” in lost petrochemical profits. Israel says those profits are used to fund Iran’s military.
Israel says it killed senior Iranian special forces commander
Israel says it’s killed a prominent Iranian commander in a Tehran strike, the latest of many senior officials in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the Iranian military and the Basij paramilitary group to die since the conflict began at the end of February.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Monday the air force had “eliminated” Asghar Bagheri, Commander of the Quds Force’s Special Operations Unit since 2019.
The Quds force carries out operations abroad as part of the IRGC. There’s been no comment from Tehran on the Israeli claim.
“Bagheri held a series of senior positions within the Quds Force, during which he advanced numerous efforts and was involved in attacks targeting Israeli and American individuals worldwide,” the IDF said.
“Under his command, the unit advanced operations targeting IDF soldiers on the Syrian-Israel border.”
The statement on Bagheri followed the killing of another senior security official in Iran. Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi, head of Intelligence for the IRGC, was assassinated early Monday, according to a statement from the Corps.
Yemen’s Houthis will respect ceasefire with Washington for now, senior official says
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels will uphold the ceasefire with the United States as long as Washington “adheres to its commitment to halt its aggression” against them, a senior official said.
The Houthis last month resumed launching ballistic missiles and drones at Israel in support of Iran. They have yet to launch attacks on shipping in the Red Sea or at US assets in the region, saying they do not intend to do so unless the war escalates.
“There is no intention to target any Muslim country except in response to aggression against Yemen,” senior Houthi leader Mohammed Ali Al Houthi said in comments communicated to CNN through the rebel group’s ministry of information.
Ali Al-Houthi added that the group’s objective “is to prevent the Red Sea from being used militarily against any Muslim country,” noting that it has the military capabilities to “protect” it.
The Houthis control most of Yemen’s Red Sea coast. For nearly two years, until May 2025, they attacked commercial ships they alleged had ties to Israel, forcing many major shipping companies to abandon one of the world’s busiest trade routes.
Should the war escalate, however, the Houthis have suggested they might close the Bab al Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. Another Houthi official told CNN last week that it “is a viable option.”
Asked if the Houthis would target Saudi Red Sea ports, which Riyadh has been using to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, Ali Al-Houthi said “there is no intention to do so as long as Saudi Arabia adheres to de-escalation and does not join America and Israel in escalating the conflict against our country.”
Iran, which is closely allied with the Houthis, has been targeting Gulf Arab states hosting US bases in the region.
Al-Houthi insisted that the group’s decision to attack Israel was unilateral, and that its actions are “not at any request from anyone.”
Last-ditch proposal calls for 45-day Iran war ceasefire, but Trump hasn’t signed off
Countries working to end the war in Iran have drafted a proposal calling for a 45-day ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as US President Donald Trump threatens to dramatically escalate the conflict, a person familiar with the proposal said.
The plan was sent to the United States and Iran late on Sunday and is viewed as a last-ditch effort to stave off the massive strikes on Iranian power plants and other infrastructure that Trump has threatened if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked.
A White House official said Trump had not signed off on the proposal.
“This is one of many ideas,” the official said, adding the US military operation in Iran was continuing apace. The president is expected to address the war today at a 1 p.m. ET news conference at the White House.
Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have all been acting as mediators between the two warring countries but indirect talks stalled last week and work toward an in-person meeting appeared to end.
The latest proposal was sent to Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff. The hope is the 45-day ceasefire window would allow for negotiations to permanently end the conflict.
Already, Iran appeared to reject any temporary ceasefire, saying it would allow adversaries to pause and prepare for the continuation of the war.
Still, mediators hope the plan can be enacted before Trump’s deadline of 8 p.m. ET Tuesday. Axios first reported on the emerging ceasefire proposal.
Strikes near Iranian power plant could cause "severe" radiological accident, IAEA says
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Monday that ongoing military activity near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant could cause a “severe radiological accident” with potential consequences beyond the country’s borders.
On Sunday, a projectile hit an area near the power plant – often referred to as BNPP – marking the fourth time the site has been targeted since the war began, according to Iranian state media agency Tasnim.
Based on independent analysis, the IAEA confirmed that strikes had recently hit close to the plant, including one just 75 metres from the site’s perimeter. The agency said the power plant itself had not been damaged.
US gas prices rise to $4.12 a gallon
The average price of a gallon of US regular gas edged up another cent Monday, reaching $4.12 in the latest reading from AAA. Gas prices are now up 38% since the start of the war in Iran.
Last week, the average price crossed the $4 a gallon mark for the first time since 2022. Prices have increased all but three days since March 1, and those three declines were by an almost imperceptible fraction of a penny that left prices unchanged each day when rounded to the nearest cent.
More increases could be on the way. Oil futures soared in trading Thursday after President Donald Trump said in a speech to the nation Wednesday that US forces would hit Iran “extremely hard over the next two to three weeks,” even as he sought to Americans that the war is nearing an end and that gas prices would quickly fall once it does.
While prices were slightly lower in early trading Monday, the drop was far short of last week’s climb.
Even if oil prices start to fall sharply as Trump predicts, it could take weeks for pump prices to start to decline.
Top EU official says any targeting of energy sites would be "illegal" after Trump threat
European Council President António Costa warned Monday that the targeting of energy facilities would be “illegal and unacceptable” after US President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
Without directly referencing Trump’s comments, Costa said the “targeting of civilian infrastructure, namely energy facilities, is illegal and unacceptable.”
The White House has said the US military would always act in accordance with the law, but legal experts have told CNN that attacks on civilian infrastructure such as power facilities would likely constitute a war crime.
On Sunday, Trump appeared to threaten Iran’s critical infrastructure, writing on social media, “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran,” while calling on Tehran to “open the Fuckin’ Strait.”
Costa said the European Union also urges Iran – which has targeted energy facilities in Persian Gulf countries – to “put an end to its attacks against countries in the region and to allow for the reestablishment of full freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.”
Qatari tankers turn back before attempting Hormuz crossing
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely curtailed, with tracking data showing that two tankers carrying Qatari natural gas turned around before transiting the strait on Monday.
The tankers – the Rasheed and Al Dayeen – had been anchored off the Qatari coast since the beginning of the conflict, but set sail Sunday. It’s unclear why they turned back.
US President Donald Trump has set a deadline of late Tuesday for the Strait to be reopened, threatening Iran with punitive strikes if it does not allow shipping to pass freely.
Some tankers are getting through, among them the Turkish-registered Ocean Thunder, which crossed the strait Sunday bound for Malaysia.
It’s the third Turkish vessel to leave the Persian Gulf since the conflict erupted, according to the Turkish transport ministry.
Maritime tracking data indicates that about 5% of the pre-war volume of shipping is getting through the strait. Shipping analysts Windward reported that there were 20 transits on Saturday – 14 of them outbound.
The ships entering the Gulf included two-Iranian flagged vessels that were not carrying oil, Windward said.
About two thirds of the oil leaving the Gulf in the week to Saturday was bound for China, according to Windward.
Pakistan and India have also negotiated with Iran for guaranteed passage of some of their flagged vessels.
Iraq has been exempted from the restrictions, according to the semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim.
“Countries such as China, India, Pakistan, and Turkey have managed to secure passage for some of their vessels through direct negotiations,” it added.
Iran has reportedly been charging up to $2 million per vessel for passage trough Hormuz. It’s unclear if any ship operators have paid the fee.
Israel accelerates production of missile interceptors amid war with Iran
Israel’s government has approved a plan to expedite production of Arrow missile interceptors, the defense ministry said Monday, as the war with Iran enters its sixth week and Iranian retaliation shows no sign of easing.
The Arrow system forms the top layer of Israel’s multi-tiered defense network, designed to intercept long range ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere and at its edge. It is the primary weapon Iran has deployed against Israel during the current conflict and the 12-day war in June.
The decision, advanced by Defense Minister Israel Katz and ministry director General Amir Baraam, was approved by the ministerial committee for procurement. It will advance a new deal with Israel’s Aerospace Industries that “will enable a substantial increase in both the production rate and number of interceptors, as part of preparations for developments in the campaign”, the defense ministry said in a statement.
The move follows reports suggesting Israel may be facing strains in its interceptor stockpiles. In March, Israeli military officials denied Semafor report citing US officials as saying that Israel had informed the US that it is “running critically low” on interceptors.
Katz said Monday that “Israel has sufficient interceptors to defend its citizens,” adding that the move is intended to “ensure continued operational freedom and the necessary endurance”.
“The ayatollah regime should know: the state of Israel is strong and resilient prepared to continue the campaign as long as necessary,” Katz said.
Araghchi: Consequences of infrastructure attacks "will not be limited to Iran and the region"
Attacks on Iran’s infrastructure will have consequences that stretch beyond Iran and the region, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his French counterpart on Monday.
“This threat amounts to the normalization of war crimes and genocide,” Araghchi told French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot during a phone call, referring to US President Donald Trump’s threats to attack Iranian power plants and other civilian infrastructure.
The Iranian official added that if any attack takes place, it will be met with “a decisive and comprehensive response” from Iran’s armed forces.
UAE insists a ceasefire in Iran must address regional security, official says
The United Arab Emirates insists that any ceasefire in Iran must address Gulf Arab states’ security concerns and avoid “a much more dangerous environment in the region,” a top official said.
Anwar Gargash, advisor to the UAE president, told CNN that Abu Dhabi wants “to see an end to this conflict, but an end to this conflict should not also create a continuous instability in the region.” Any agreement would have to address Tehran’s nuclear program as well as the missiles and drones “which are still raining on us and on other countries.”
“And then, if Iran also wants to see a non-belligerence agreement, that agreement has to extend to everybody. It’s not only American-Israeli actions against Iran, but it has to be also Iran’s belligerence against its neighbors,” he said.
Iran’s attacks on its Gulf Arab neighbors are likely to “concretize” the US role in the Gulf, “not reduce it,” he said. “We will also see Israeli influence become more prominent in the Gulf, not less.”
A key demand for Iran in stopping the war is the closure of US bases in the region, which it says are used to stage attacks against Iran.
“Our main security partner is the United States. We will double down on our relationship with the United States,” Gargash added.
He said the Strait of Hormuz has to be “part and parcel” of any settlement, “with a clear agreement on that,” adding that while the UAE is “not ready to act as a maritime force” at the strait, “we will join any American-led effort, international effort to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
Gargash insisted that the UAE is resilient and that its economic fundamentals are strong.
“If you asked me over the last 20 years, what is the sort of unlikely worst-case scenario that the UAE can face, I would have said a full Iranian attack,” he said. “And this is what we are really seeing… And now, when the worst-case scenario is happening… we are coping very well, and we are finding out that we are very resilient.”
Oil prices dip but stay elevated after Trump's new threats to Iran
Oil prices are slightly down today but remain high, after US President Donald Trump issued a new ultimatum for Tehran.
Brent crude, the global benchmark, inched down 0.9% to $108.1 a barrel, while WTI crude, the US benchmark, fell 1.2% to $110.2.
Oil is traded as a futures contract, which means an agreement to buy or sell at a specified price on a future date. Monday’s Brent price reflects oil for delivery in June, whereas the WTI price reflects oil for delivery in May.
Trump on Sunday threatened to hit Iran’s power plants and other infrastructure if Tehran did not open the Strait of Hormuz – a critical oil and natural gas shipping route that has been effectively shut for more than a month now.
He also appeared to set a new Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET deadline for the reopening. In response, an Iranian official said the strait would stay closed until the country is “fully compensated” for war damages.
But traders may have drawn some relief from reports of diplomatic efforts. For example, CNN reported yesterday, citing sources, that Oman had held talks with Iran about the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Pakistan and Egypt have worked to keep communications open between Washington and Tehran, a Pakistani official source told CNN yesterday.
In Asia, where most countries are heavily dependent on crude and natural gas supplies from the Middle East, stock markets closed mostly lower on the day.
Two of the outliers, Japan’s benchmark index Nikkei 225 and South Korea’s Kospi, rose 0.6% and 1.4% respectively. Hong Kong’s market is closed for a public holiday.
US stock futures pointed to a marginally stronger open. European markets are closed for Easter Monday.
Iran rejects temporary ceasefire, insists on permanent end to war
Iran has rejected a temporary ceasefire in the US-Israeli war, saying it would allow adversaries to pause and prepare for the continuation of the conflict.
“We are calling for an end to the war and for preventing its recurrence,” foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei was cited as saying by Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
Reuters reported Monday that Iran and the US have received a proposal to end hostilities that could come into effect on Monday. Axios also reported that the US, Iran, and regional mediators were discussing a potential 45-day ceasefire as part of a two-phase deal that would lead to a permanent end to the war.
Baghaei did not specifically address the reports.
He added that Iran has formulated a response to the United States’ demands to end the war and will announce it “when necessary,” referring to the 15-point list of demands that Washington conveyed to Tehran through Pakistan.
The proposal was “extremely excessive and unusual and illogical,” adding that Iran has a “very bitter experience of negotiating with the US,” he said.
Any diplomatic talks are “absolutely incompatible with ultimatums, crimes, and threats to commit war crimes,” he added, referring to US President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb key Iranian infrastructure if Tehran does not open the Strait of Hormuz.
Separately, Iranian Armed Forces spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari said on Monday that if attacks on civilian targets are repeated, Iran’s retaliation will be on a much wider scale and losses “several times greater,” the semi-official news agency Tasnim reported.
Deaths reported in Iran, Lebanon and Israel, as Trump threatens Tehran on Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump ordered Iran in a profanity-laced Truth Social post to “open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell.”
Trump then appeared to set a new deadline for Iran to reopen the vital waterway, writing yesterday afternoon, “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!”
If you’re just joining us, here’s what you need to know about the latest developments:
- Iranian embassies around the world posted critical, tongue-in-cheek responses to Trump’s warning, while Iran’s parliament speaker accused Trump of pushing the US toward “a living HELL” and warned the region could “burn.”
- Six children under 10 were among those killed in overnight Israeli-US strikes on Iran, according to the semi-official Mehr news.
- At least ten people were killed and dozens were wounded in overnight attacks on Lebanon, according to state media reports.
- In the Israeli city of Haifa, four bodies have been recovered following an Iranian missile attack on a residential building yesterday, Israel’s emergency service said.
- Another senior security official in Iran has been killed, according to both Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Israeli Defense minister Israel Katz.
- Gulf countries including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continued fending off attacks from Iran early today, after weeks of constant bombardment.
- Oil prices traded relatively flat and remained elevated early today, as Trump’s new threats to strike Iran unsettled investors, sending prices soaring yesterday.
- Trump is also set to talk to reporters during a White House briefing at 1 p.m. ET today, following the rescue of a US airman whose jet was downed over Iran.
CNN’s Julia Benbrook, Mitchell McCluskey, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Lex Harvey, Kit Maher, Ally Barnard, Zulfaqar Samra, Isaac Yee, Charbel Mallo, Eugenia Yosef, Manveena Suri, Tim Lister, Jessie Yeung and John Liu contributed to this reporting.
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