Iran Targets Israel and Gulf States in Major Escalation; Trump Issues Hormuz Deadline

The conflict in the Middle East has intensified sharply as Iran launched a massive coordinated missile barrage against Israel and several Gulf nations on the eve of Passover. In Israel, the strikes resulted in several injuries, while in the Gulf, a drone attack ignited a fire at Kuwait International Airport and a tanker was struck off the coast of Qatar. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responded by hitting 400 Iranian targets over two days, even as the military warns of potential manpower shortages during the holiday period. President Donald Trump characterized Iran's military capabilities as significantly degraded, stating that the U.S. mission may be completed "very shortly." However, the President issued a stern ultimatum to Tehran, conditioning any diplomatic progress on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by April 6. Trump warned that failure to comply would result in intense U.S. strikes against Iranian infrastructure. Diplomatically, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signaled a willingness to negotiate a deal involving "security guarantees" during discussions with European officials. Despite this, Tehran has officially denied making any ceasefire requests. The situation remains volatile as proxy coordination between Iran and Hezbollah increases, broadening the scope of the conflict beyond traditional theaters in Iraq and Yemen.