Iran War Day 38: Hormuz Deadline Looms, Ceasefire Proposal Circulates, IRGC Intel Chief Killed
Trump's energy-infrastructure deadline expires tonight at 8 PM ET; Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey submit 45-day ceasefire framework; IRGC intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi killed in Israeli strike; downed F-15E crew rescued in what Trump calls an "Easter miracle."
President Trump’s deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz expires tonight at 8 PM ET, with U.S. and Israeli jets striking Tehran this morning and killing a top IRGC general even as three nations raced to deliver a ceasefire framework to both sides. Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey submitted a 45-day halt proposal to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi late Sunday night. Iran has publicly rejected opening the strait as part of any temporary truce, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei telling intermediaries Tehran has “prepared its response” while insisting negotiations are “in no way compatible with ultimatum.” Trump holds a 1 PM ET press conference on the recovery of both F-15E crew members — downed over Iran Friday — before the 8 PM deadline either triggers a significant escalation or produces a last-minute deal.
The killing of Maj. Gen. Majid Khademi, head of intelligence for the Revolutionary Guard Corps, in an Israeli airstrike on Tehran this morning removes another senior IRGC figure in a sustained decapitation campaign. Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said his country had “just carried out a powerful strike on the largest petrochemical facility in Iran” — the Asaluyeh complex, responsible for roughly 50% of national output. Iran responded with ballistic missiles on Haifa, where four people were killed when a missile destroyed a six-floor residential building, and drone strikes on Kuwait’s Shuwaikh oil complex, damaging Kuwait Petroleum Corporation headquarters and triggering fires at multiple national energy facilities.
The War Powers Resolution clock stands at 22 days. Congress has not authorized this war.
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Quick Hits
- Iran Rules Out Hormuz Reopening in Temporary Deal — Iran's foreign ministry confirmed Monday it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz as part of any temporary or short-term ceasefire agreement. Tehran says the strait's status must be part of a permanent settlement, not a 45-day pause. [Source]
- Bushehr Nuclear Plant: Strike Landed 75 Meters from Perimeter — The IAEA confirmed Monday that a U.S.-Israeli strike landed 75 meters from the Bushehr nuclear power plant perimeter, based on independent satellite analysis. The plant itself was not damaged. The near-miss adds to growing international concern about escalation near nuclear facilities. [Source]
- Iran Strikes U.S. Forces on Kuwait's Bubiyan Island — Iran struck U.S. military positions on Kuwait's Bubiyan Island Monday, claiming American forces relocated there from Arofjan Camp on the mainland after repeated Iranian strikes. The Pentagon has not commented. [Source]
- Oil Holding Near $109-$111 as Deadline Looms — Brent crude traded near $109/barrel and WTI near $111 Monday morning. Prices briefly dipped on ceasefire proposal reports but recovered as deadline pressure mounted. The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed for over five weeks. [Source]
What to Watch For
1:00 PM ET: Trump White House press conference on the F-15E crew rescue — watch for any signal on the 8 PM deadline posture or ceasefire status.
8:00 PM ET: Hormuz deadline expires. The decision point: escalation against Iranian power infrastructure, another extension, or a deal announcement.
All day: Iran’s formal response to the 45-day ceasefire proposal — Baghaei said it has been prepared. Timing of release is unknown.
All day: Witkoff and Kushner backchannel — any pre-deadline signal from the U.S. side on whether a deal framework is close enough to justify another pause.
War Powers clock: 22 days until April 28 deadline. Congress is not in session.
By The Numbers
People killed across the Middle East since Operation Epic Fury began February 28, including more than 1,900 inside Iran, according to NBC News aggregated reporting.
U.S. service members killed in action per Pentagon official figures, with two additional noncombat deaths. Aggregated reporting suggests the number may be higher.
Brent and WTI crude price range Monday morning. Oil has roughly doubled since the Strait of Hormuz was closed five weeks ago.
Days remaining on the 60-day War Powers Resolution clock before it expires April 28. No congressional authorization has been sought or granted.
Meters separating a confirmed U.S.-Israeli airstrike from the perimeter of Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, per IAEA satellite analysis.
Quote of the Day
"Negotiation is in no way compatible with ultimatum, crime, or the threat to commit war crimes." — Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson, April 6, 2026.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/4/6/iran-war-live-tehran-rejects-trumps-tuesday-deadline-on-strait-of-hormuz
Bottom Line
Tonight at 8 PM ET, the Iran war either escalates sharply or finds a pause. A ceasefire framework is on the table — but Iran has publicly ruled out the one condition Trump set as non-negotiable: reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides struck hard overnight. The rescued airmen remove Tehran's best leverage point. The War Powers clock is at 22 days. Congress is not in session. What happens in the next twelve hours shapes the next phase of this war.
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