Wave of attacks follows Trump’s Hormuz deadline, affecting military, energy, and infrastructure sites
President Donald Trump arrives from the Blue Room to speak about the Iran war from the Cross Hall of the White House on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Washington. PHOTO: REUTERS
A series of military escalations unfolded across the Middle East after US President Donald Trump issued an initial deadline to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, followed by repeated extensions and retaliatory strikes targeting key infrastructure and military assets.
On March 21, Trump gave Iran 48 hours to reopen the strait, warning that US forces would strike the country’s energy facilities if it failed to comply.
Two days later, on March 23, Trump said, “Very good and productive talks” had taken place, and postponed the planned strike by five days. On March 27, he extended the deadline further to April 6.
Hostilities escalated on March 29, when a US E-3 Sentry early warning aircraft was damaged on the ground during an airstrike at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
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On April 2, US and Israeli forces targeted the B1 Bridge linking Tehran and Karaj.
Between April 3 and 4, US F-15E and A-10 Warthog aircraft were downed, while two C-130 aircraft were destroyed during a rescue operation for a downed pilot.
Attacks on energy infrastructure continued on April 5. A strike on the Borouge petrochemical facility in Abu Dhabi caused a fire, while a UAV attack on an oil facility in Shuwaikh, Kuwait, also triggered a blaze. The same day, Trump extended the deadline for an agreement with Iran to Tuesday, 8 pm EDT (0000 GMT, Wednesday).
On April 6, Iran’s petrochemical facilities in Asaluyeh and the Shiraz Petrochemical Complex were targeted. A UAV attack on Ali Al-Salim Air Base injured 15 US soldiers.
The following day, April 7, a railway bridge in Isfahan was struck, while Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf also came under attack.
The developments highlight a rapid escalation in tensions across the region, with strikes affecting Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
