Iran Defies Trump’s Deadline

Tehran raises the stakes as missile strikes pound Israel and the region braces for a wider war.

Iran has issued a direct challenge to President Donald Trump’s 48-hour ultimatum.

The country’s military declared it stands ready to close the Strait of Hormuz indefinitely and attack regional infrastructure if the United States follows through on its threat to bomb Iranian power plants.

Specifically, Tehran warns that any American strike on its energy facilities will trigger an immediate and sustained closure of the vital waterway.

A separate Iranian source also told CNN that the government is moving forward with monetizing its control of the strait, signaling a long-term strategy to leverage the chokepoint for economic and political gain.

The standoff brings the deadline to a critical point, with the clock ticking toward Monday evening.

Missile Attacks Intensify

Meanwhile, the conflict on the ground shows no signs of abating. Over the weekend, Iranian missiles struck across southern Israel and Tel Aviv, injuring dozens of people.

However, Israel’s military reported a high success rate in its defense, stating that it intercepted 92% of Iran’s ballistic missiles.

Despite those defenses, the attacks have caused significant damage and heightened fears of a broader escalation between the two powers.

Fears of a Ground Invasion Grow in Lebanon

Beyond the immediate Iran-Israel conflict, neighboring countries also face mounting dangers. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun slammed Israel’s attacks on infrastructure in southern Lebanon on Sunday.

He described the strikes as a “prelude to a ground invasion” and a clear violation of international law.

As the violence spreads across multiple fronts, the human toll continues to climb. The number of people reported killed in Iran and Lebanon since the start of the conflict has now reached into the thousands, underscoring the devastating scale of the ongoing war