A U.S. official said the country's military conducted strikes on Kharg Island, a key hub for Iranian oil exports, as the countries still fail to reach a deal ahead of President Donald Trump's deadline to strike other power plants and bridges.
The development was reported by Axios journalist Barak Ravid and further escalates tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The U.S. military conducted strikes on military targets on Kharg island, U.S. official says
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) April 7, 2026
The U.S. had already carried out strikes on over 90 targets in the island in mid March, when Trump called Kharg "Iran's crown jewel." He said back then that the U.S. had deliberately avoided striking oil facilities.
With less than a day left before Trump's deadline for further escalation, negotiations to seem to be unfruitful. On Monday he said that Iran's counterproposal to end the war is "not good enough," even though he highlighted that the fact that Tehran sent a response is a "very significant step." "They're negotiating now, we'll see what happens," Trump added.
Citing Iranian official IRNA news agency, Reuters reported on Monday that Iran rejected the latest proposal for a ceasefire, saying it wanted a lasting end to the war. The counterproposal has 10 clauses, including an end to conflicts in the region, protocol for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the lifting of sanctions and reconstruction, the outlet added. On Tuesday an official told the outlet that talks about a lasting peace could begin only after the U.S. and Israel end their strikes, guarantee they won't resume and offer compensation for damages.
Moreover, the regime's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned it will deprive the U.S. and allies of oil and gas for years if it "crosses red lines." "Our response will go beyond the region," the statement said.
"America's regional partners should also know that until today, we have exercised great restraint for the sake of good neighborliness and have had some reservations in choosing targets for retaliation, but all these reservations have since been removed," the paramilitary guard added.
