LIVE | IDF announces death of two more senior Iranian military officers, strikes Iran's largest petrochemical facility in Asaluyeh
The most likely scenario involves an increase in attacks and a possible direct intervention to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which would widen the conflict regionally and further trigger the global impact on energy, transportation and economic stability.
Israeli personnel work at the site where a residential building was destroyed by an Iranian attack.
The weekend has cemented a critical escalation in the war between Iran, Israel and the United States, with direct attacks on urban areas. Israel has intensified its bombing of Tehran, while Iran has responded with missiles that have caused civilian casualties in northern Israel. In parallel, the strategic focus has shifted to the Strait of Hormuz, already the focal point of global pressure in the conflict.
The United States has decisively raised the tone: Donald Trump has issued an ultimatum to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in a matter of days, threatening massive attacks on key infrastructure if it does not do so, and even stating that the U.S. could "open" the strait by force and control the flow of oil. The standoff has put energy control at the center of the war, with maritime traffic virtually paralyzed and markets on edge.
Looking ahead to this week, the main risk is an even greater escalation if the U.S. ultimatum expires without agreement. The most likely scenario is an increase in attacks and a possible direct intervention to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which would widen the conflict regionally and further trigger the global impact on energy, transportation and economic stability.
All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Trump says Iranians 'willing to suffer' for freedom
President Donald Trump argued Monday that Iranians were willing to suffer for their freedom, saying the United States had intercepted communications urging to "please keep bombing."
"They would be willing to suffer that in order to have freedom," Trump told a press conference, a day before his deadline to destroy Iran's energy infrastructure and bridges if its leaders do not comply with US demands.
Trump calls it a war crime for Iran to have a nuclear weapon
U.S. President Donald Trump assured that he is "not worried" about the possibility of the United States committing war crimes if it attacks Iran's civilian infrastructure, such as power plants.
He maintained what is a war crime is allowing a "sick country" to possess a nuclear weapon."
Iran will continue the war as long as the authorities "deem it appropriate"
Iran will continue the war as long as the political authorities "deem it appropriate," Mohamad Akraminia, a military spokesman, told Isna News Agency on Monday.
Iran rejects ceasefire proposal
Iran rejected a truce proposal mediated by Pakistan, Irna News Agency reported Monday, without specifying the source or revealing the content of the plan.
In its response, Iran "rejects a ceasefire and insists on the need to put a definitive end to the conflict," it added.
Trump did not approve proposed ceasefire, White House says
The White House confirmed on Monday that it had received a proposal from mediators for a 45-day ceasefire with Iran, but clarified that President Donald Trump did not approve it.
U.S. media reported that Washington had been presented with the proposal for a temporary ceasefire in the Middle East war.
“This is one of many ideas, and [Trump] has not signed off on it. Operation Epic Fury continues,” a White House official told AFP, noting that Trump is scheduled to hold a press conference at 1 p.m. local time.
According to the news site Axios, the ceasefire proposal was put forward by Pakistani, Egyptian, and Turkish mediators.
Trump has set a deadline of Tuesday at 8 p.m. before potentially ordering strikes on Iranian infrastructure.
Meanwhile, an Iranian military spokesperson said Monday that Iran would begin the war when political authorities “deem it appropriate.”
JNS
Pakistani mediators pass truce proposals to Washington, Tehran: report
JNS (Jewish News Syndicate)
Israel reaches Iran's largest petrochemical plant
Several explosions were heard on Monday in southern Iran at the country’s largest gas complex, the Fars News Agency reported, without providing further details. Earlier, Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, had stated that Israel had carried out a “powerful strike” against Iran’s largest petrochemical plant, located in Asaluyeh.
"The Israel Defense Forces have just carried out a powerful strike on Iran's largest petrochemical facility, located in Asaluyeh, a central target responsible for about 50% of the country's petrochemical production," Katz said in a video statement.
The explosions, the exact number of which has not been specified, occurred at the South Pars petrochemical complex in Asaluyeh, where Israel claims to have carried out attacks on Monday. This is a key site in Iran’s energy sector for the joint development with Qatar of the world’s largest natural gas field.
IDF announces death of Azar Bakri, commander of Quds Force special operations unit
The Israel Defense Forces announced the death of Azar Bakri, commander of the special operations unit of the Quds Force in the bombing raids carried out on Tehran early Monday morning.
In a tweet, the Israeli army noted that "his elimination adds to the heavy blow dealt by the Israeli army to the Quds Force's special operations unit and is a further setback to the unit's ability to carry out terrorist actions against the State of Israel and its citizens."
”In recent years, Bakri held a number of high-ranking positions in the Quds Force unit, under which he spearheaded numerous efforts to attack Israeli and U.S. targets around the world. In addition, Bakri coordinated and promoted terrorist actions against the State of Israel, through operations conducted within the territory of Israel, Syria and Lebanon."
Israel eliminates Revolutionary Guard Corps intelligence chief
The IDF and the Revolutionary Guards confirmed that the Iranian military body's Intelligence Chief Gen. Majid Jademi, was eliminated by an Israeli strike in the early hours of Monday morning.
Four dead in northern Israel after Iranian strike
Israeli rescuers announced having recovered the bodies of the four people missing in the rubble of a residential building in the northern Israeli city of Haifa after an Iranian missile struck on Sunday.
The IDF claims to have eliminated more than 1,000 Hezbollah terrorists since the conflict began.
The Israel Defense Forces have killed more than 1,000 Hezbollah terrorists since the Iranian-backed terror group joined the war on March 2, "and that number will continue to rise," IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Sunday during a visit to southern Lebanon.
"The IDF is inflicting severe and extensive blows on the Hezbollah terror organization. This includes its operatives, command and control, terrorist infrastructure, military capabilities, weaponry, its financial capabilities, and more. Hezbollah has over 1,000 terrorists eliminated, and the number will continue to rise. The damage to Hezbollah will continue to intensify."
A third Turkish ship crosses the Strait of Hormuz
A third ship owned by a Turkish shipowner, the Panamanian-flagged tanker Ocean Thunder, bound for Malaysia, crossed the Strait of Hormuz Sunday night, Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced.
Earlier, an Indian-flagged, Japanese-owned tanker also crossed the strait, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines said.
Gas supply restored in Tehran
Gas supplies in Tehran were restored Monday after being disrupted in parts of the Iranian capital because of an attack on a university, state-run Irib television said.
Iran executes man convicted of ties to U.S., Israel
Iran executed a man, Ali Fahim, convicted of acting on behalf of Israel and the United States during January's wave of anti-government protests, the judiciary said. Ali Fahim is far from the only death linked to the regime.
Human Rights Activists News Agency has counted more than 7,000 dead
"Mohamad-Amin Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast were hanged after the case was reviewed and the final verdict confirmed by the Supreme Court," said Mizan, the judiciary's information agency.
The two men were involved in this year's anti-government protests, which reached their peak in January.
Since the war unleashed by Israel and the U.S. attack on Iran began on March 28, executions of people linked to the protests or opposition groups have been carried out in the country, specifically members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), which the regime labels a "terrorist" organization.
On Saturday, Iran also executed two MEK members, after four other convicted members of the group were hanged earlier in the week.
Additionally, on Thursday authorities executed an 18-year-old convicted of working for Israel and the United States during the protests, following three other executions on the same grounds in March.
The regime has acknowledged more than 3,000 dead in the protests while the U.S.-based NGO Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has counted more than 7,000 dead.
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Middle East war sends prices soaring and leaves gas outages in Tehran
The war in the Middle East continues to leave palpable effects on the global economy, especially in energy and transportation. In Southeast Asia, AirAsia X, the region's leading low-cost airline based in Malaysia, announced a price increase and the reduction of routes to compensate for the pressure the conflict puts on air transport. Despite these adjustments, the company says demand for flights remains high, reflecting the market's resilience in the face of international uncertainty.
In South Asia, the war directly impacts domestic energy prices. Sri Lanka has raised the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by 23%, attributing the move to the global fuel price hike triggered by the crisis in the Middle East. The effect is being felt in millions of homes, where the rise makes cooking and heating more expensive, intensifying pressure on local consumers.
Meanwhile, in the region directly affected by the conflict, Tehran faces gas outages. An attack on a university damaged a nearby energy facility, leaving parts of the Iranian capital without service, state-run IRIB television reported. The episode underscores the vulnerability of local infrastructure and anticipates possible more serious disruptions if the escalation continues.
Japanese oil tanker crosses the Strait of Hormuz
Iran threatens "far more devastating" retaliation
Iran's central military command threatened "much more devastating" retaliation if its adversaries attack civilian targets on its territory.
"If attacks on civilian targets are repeated, the next phases of our offensive and retaliatory operations will be much more devastating and extensive," a spokesman for the central command said in a statement released on Telegram by the state-run IRIB network.
World
Oil soared this weekend: Trump, Iran and Hormuz push the market to the brink
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Emirates, Kuwait respond to missile, drone strikes
The air defense systems of the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait responded to missile and drone attacks, the respective defense ministries reported.
Both U.S.-allied Gulf countries have been frequent targets of Iranian attacks since the outbreak of war on Feb. 28.
Oil trades higher on Monday
Both major oil benchmarks were trading higher on Monday at the start of the market day, amid pressure on global supply from the war in the Middle East.
The U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) barrel was up 0.35% at $111.93.
North Sea Brent, the global market benchmark, was up 1.57% at $110.74 a barrel.
Everything that's happened in the war so far, here:
In the last few hours, Washington confirmed the rescue of the two crew members of an F-15 fighter shot down by Iran, in a high-risk operation that evidences the intensity of the direct fighting between the two countries.
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