Iran claims victory as Trump announces two-week ceasefire

Trump has once again exhorted Iran with fresh threats ahead of his Tuesday Strait of Hormuz deadline, warning of catastrophic consequences if no deal is reached.

”A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again… I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” he said on Truth Social, adding the moment could be “one of the most important… in the history of the World.”

His comments come hours before the deadline to reopen the strait, after he signaled potential strikes on bridges, energy and water infrastructure.

The recent US-Israeli operation in Iran’s central Isfahan province ended in a “major strategic defeat” for the attacking forces, Press TV has claimed, citing what it described as exclusive information.

The report said the failed raid, linked by US officials to a mission to rescue a downed F-15 pilot, was in fact aimed at infiltrating and striking a nuclear facility. An abandoned airstrip near the site had reportedly been selected as a landing zone for C-130 transport aircraft.

Press TV said US and possibly Israeli forces lost multiple aircraft during reconnaissance missions ahead of the planned attack, including at least one A-10 Thunderbolt II and two Black Hawk helicopters.

It added that the operation’s “zero hour” was set during a closed White House meeting overseen by President Donald Trump, and said his recent threats to target Iran’s civilian infrastructure were a “direct consequence” of the reported setback in Isfahan.

Israel has struck multiple railways and bridges across Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced in a televised address, claiming that they were being used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Israel had previously issued a warning, telling Iranians that their lives would be at risk if they used the country’s railways on Tuesday.

The IDF said the strikes targeted transport infrastructure in Tehran, Karaj, Tabriz, Kerman, and Qom.

The death toll from Israeli strikes on Lebanon has risen to more than 1,530 people, the country’s Health Ministry has reported. Another 4,812 people have been injured in Israeli attacks since March 2, the ministry said.

While most reports have been focused on the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, the IDF has continued operations in the West Bank and Gaza. The Wafa news agency reported on Tuesday that Israeli forces had detained over a dozen Palestinians, including a child, across the West Bank and conducted several raids using military vehicles. 

Israeli settlers were also reported to have conducted raids in several towns and vandalized Palestinian property, including a shrine to Prophet Ghaith in the village of Deir Ammar.

At least ten Palestinians were also killed in Israeli airstrikes and fighting between Hamas and an Israel-backed Palestinian militia in central Gaza, local sources have reported.

Iranians formed a ‘human chain’ on the White Bridge in the city of Ahvaz to protect the landmark structure from US-Israeli strikes. Videos from the scene show dozens of people holding a massive Iranian flag stretched out across the bridge, waving national symbols, and displaying signs indicating they are ready to sacrifice themselves for their country.

Tehran has urged people across the country to form similar chains around critical sites such as power plants and bridges, amid mounting US threats.

A draft resolution submitted by the Gulf States to the UN Security Council has been leaked ahead of an upcoming vote to adopt it on Tuesday.

In the document, the countries, which include Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, urge the council to condemn Iran’s attacks on vessels in and near the Strait of Hormuz, reaffirm its commitment to the “sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all States,” and urge an immediate end to the disruption of global energy supplies.

US lawmakers have condemned Trump’s threat to eliminate “a whole civilization.” Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries called on Congress to “immediately end this reckless war of choice in Iran before Donald Trump plunges us into World War III.”

Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer described Trump as “an extremely sick person” while Congressman Jason Crow stated that the president’s threats is “a war crime” and called on the military to refuse orders.

A US assault on Kharg Island would likely result in heavy losses and a logistics nightmare for Washington, former US Army officer Stanislav Krapivnik has told RT, adding that Trump’s generals would likely avoid telling the president the truth about potential casualties.

Krapivnik said that Trump desperately needs a “win” as support for the US-Israeli war on Iran has continued to plummet, and could be pushed to attempt an assault on the strategic island.

Check out RT’s full analysis of what a potential invasion of Kharg Island would look like below.

China and Russia have vetoed a Bahraini resolution at the UN Security Council that urged member states to coordinate efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. There were 11 votes in favor, while Colombia and Pakistan abstained.