Iran Rejects Ceasefire Deal as Trump Deadline for Infrastructure Strikes Nears

Tensions in the Middle East reached a critical point Tuesday as Iran officially rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal, signaling a preference for a permanent resolution over a temporary pause in hostilities. The rejection comes as President Donald Trump's 8 p.m. ET deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz approaches. President Trump has expanded his list of potential military targets to include all Iranian power plants and bridges, stating he is "not at all" concerned about the international legal implications of targeting civilian infrastructure. On the ground, military activity has intensified with a new wave of Israeli attacks on Iranian territory early Tuesday morning. Iran responded by launching missiles targeting Israel and neighboring Gulf Arab states. Saudi Arabian military officials confirmed that recent Iranian strikes have impacted energy facilities, though a full damage assessment is currently ongoing. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres issued a sharp rebuke of the escalating rhetoric, reminding all parties that attacking civilian infrastructure is prohibited under international law. The human cost of the conflict continues to rise across multiple fronts. Current casualty figures report more than 1,900 dead in Iran and over 1,400 in Lebanon, where displacement has surpassed one million people. The United States has confirmed the deaths of 13 service members, while Israel has reported 23 fatalities, including 11 soldiers killed during operations in Lebanon. Over two dozen additional deaths have been recorded across the West Bank and Gulf Arab states.