US and Israel Launch Air Strikes Across Iran

United States and Israeli air strikes hit multiple locations across Iran on April 7, 2026, including infrastructure in Tehran and the strategic Kharg Island. The attacks occurred as a self-imposed deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for Tehran to agree to a deal to end the war approached.

Iranian media reported explosions across the capital city of Tehran and the sound of air defense fire on April 7. Some reports described fighter jets flying at low altitudes over the city. Among the sites hit in downtown Tehran was an ancient and sacred historic synagogue, according to Iranian media and Homayoun Sameyah, the Jewish community’s representative in Iran’s parliament, who stated that Torah scrolls remained buried under the rubble.

Beyond the capital, strikes were reported on Kharg Island, which is the point from which approximately 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports are shipped. Additional strikes targeted major bridges on the Tabriz-Zanjan highway and another bridge located near the holy city of Qom.

U.S. Deadline and Demands

The military escalation follows a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 8 p.m. US Eastern Time. Trump threatened a sweeping bombing campaign against Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

During a White House press conference on April 6, 2026, Trump stated that every bridge in Iran will be decimated and every power plant in Iran will be out of business, burning, exploding and never to be used again by midnight on Tuesday if his terms were not met.

The President’s conditions for avoiding these strikes included the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a complete shutdown of Iran’s nuclear program and an end to the production of ballistic missiles.

Iran’s Response and Rejection of Cease-Fire

Iran has rejected proposals for a temporary cease-fire. On April 6, 2026, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported that Tehran conveyed a 10-point response to U.S. Proposals via Pakistan. This response, which followed two weeks of high-level reviews, demanded a permanent end to hostilities across the region rather than a temporary pause.

The Iranian response included several specific conditions:

• A permanent end to hostilities throughout the region.
• The lifting of sanctions.
• Commitments for reconstruction.
• A safe passage protocol for the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei stated during a weekly press conference on April 6 that a cease-fire means creating a pause to regroup and commit crimes again and asserted that no rational person would do that. Iranian officials expressed a desire to avoid situations similar to those in Gaza or Lebanon, where they believe paper cease-fires left them vulnerable to renewed attacks.

IRGC Warnings and Regional Escalation

Following the reports of strikes on April 7, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) issued a statement warning that it would target U.S. And allied infrastructure across the region if the United States crossed red lines.

The IRGC signaled a shift in its strategic position, stating that the restraint previously shown toward neighboring states out of good neighborliness had ended and that all such considerations have been lifted. This statement indicates that Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. Military assets could now become direct targets.

This marks a departure from Iran’s previous stance, in which Tehran maintained that while it might strike targets within regional countries, those states themselves were not the intended enemy.

Earlier reports from April 6 indicated that at least 19 people were killed and 20 injured in U.S. And Israeli air strikes near Tehran, according to Iranian state media.