NEW: Strikes On Iran Begin As Trump’s Ultimatum Looms: ‘A Whole Civilization Will Die Tonight’

President Donald Trump warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight” as U.S. forces launched fresh strikes on Iranian targets and his 8 p.m. ET ultimatum looms for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and negotiate an end to the conflict.

The United States struck military targets on Iran’s strategic Kharg Island overnight, according to a U.S. official and a White House official. The operation avoided oil infrastructure, the U.S. official said, even as markets reacted sharply.

Iranian state media reported attacks on civilian infrastructure, including rail lines and roads. An Israeli source told CNN the strikes are targeting transportation routes across the country.

Iranian outlets also reported that strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces severely damaged a synagogue in central Tehran.

Trump, posting on Truth Social, doubled down on his warning. “A whole civilization will die tonight,” he wrote, before adding, “Now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?”

Vice President JD Vance signaled the White House is still leaving the door open to talks, saying there is “going to be a lot of negotiation” before the deadline takes effect.

Vance also acknowledged the Kharg Island strikes but said they do not mark “a change in strategy” ahead of Trump’s deadline.

The military escalation is already rippling through global markets. U.S. oil prices have doubled in 2026, surging further after news of the Kharg attack.

Elsewhere, violence spilled beyond Iran’s borders. One assailant was killed, and two others were injured in an attack near the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, according to local authorities. Two police officers also suffered minor injuries, officials said.

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