06.04.2026 20:14

US President Donald Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric against Iran, sending fresh shockwaves through global markets with a series of ominous warnings. In remarks that pointed to the stroke of midnight on Tuesday, he indicated that large-scale strikes targeting Iranian bridges and energy facilities were being considered. Trump went further, suggesting that a potential operation could be executed in as little as four hours, declaring, "Every bridge in Iran will be reduced to rubble, every power plant rendered inoperable." While he acknowledged that military options remained under review, he claimed he preferred to avoid hitting civilian infrastructure, adding, "I hope it doesn't come to that." Yet his assertion that "the entire country could be neutralized in a single night if necessary" left little doubt about the gravity of his threat. He also defended ongoing negotiations with Tehran as proceeding "in good faith," describing the proposals on the table as significant but insufficient. Trump reiterated that the deadline for Iran was firm, insisting Tuesday marked the final cutoff. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that military preparations were accelerating, warning that the most intense strikes against Iran were expected to unfold that day, with further escalation anticipated the next. According to unnamed American officials cited by internet sources, the US military is honing its plans, particularly for operations aimed at crippling Iran's energy grid. Meanwhile, Iranian state television reported that a missile had been launched toward Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reportedly pressed Trump during a Sunday meeting to reject any ceasefire, has found an ally in the US president, who has framed Iran's potential acquisition of nuclear weapons as "the true war crime." Trump also brushed aside accusations of war crimes leveled against himself, signaling he is unmoved by international criticism.