Iran Rejects Ceasefire as Trump Deadline Nears

Iran has rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal, saying it wants a permanent end to the war, as US President Donald Trump’s deadline for a deal moved closer amid escalating regional tensions.

Tehran’s position came as Trump renewed his warning that Iran could face strikes on key infrastructure if it fails to meet his Tuesday 8pm ET deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said on Monday he was “not at all” concerned about possible accusations linked to attacks on infrastructure, intensifying fears of a broader military escalation.

The warning prompted fresh international concern, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres cautioning that attacks on civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law, according to his spokesperson.

Early on Tuesday, Israel launched a new wave of strikes on Iranian territory, while Iran responded with missile attacks targeting Israel and several Gulf Arab states.

The conflict has already caused heavy casualties across the region.

More than 1,900 people have reportedly been killed in Iran since the war began, although Iranian authorities have not released an updated official death toll in recent days.

In Lebanon, the death toll has surpassed 1,400, with more than one million people displaced. At least 11 Israeli soldiers have also been killed there.

Elsewhere, more than two dozen people have been killed in Gulf Arab countries and the occupied West Bank, while 23 deaths have been reported in Israel.

The United States has also reported the deaths of 13 service members since the conflict intensified.

The latest developments signal growing uncertainty over whether the war will move towards de-escalation or expand into a wider regional confrontation.