BREAKING: Israel Strikes Deep Inside Iran as U.S. Hits Kharg Island — Explosive Warnings Push Region to the Brink
Tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply on April 7, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel had carried out strikes on railway lines and bridges in Iran, including targets in the capital, Tehran.
The announcement came approximately 90 minutes after a post on Truth Social by U.S. President Donald Trump. Earlier, Iranian state media had also reported that several bridges had been targeted in the attacks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Reuters)
Netanyahu claimed that the railway lines and bridges were being used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to transport personnel, weapons, and raw materials, though he did not provide specific evidence to support the assertion.
Under international law, attacks on civilian infrastructure are generally prohibited. However, Israel has previously conducted airstrikes on bridges and other civilian-linked targets in both Iran and Lebanon.
“We are striking the terrorist regime in Iran with increasing intensity,” Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office.
The statement did not reference the April 7 deadline previously set by President Trump.
Also on April 7, Israel issued a warning urging Iranian civilians to avoid trains and railway systems.
U.S. strikes on Kharg Island
According to Axios, citing a senior U.S. official, American forces conducted strikes on military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island.
Satellite image of Kharg Island. (Photo: Airbus)
Initial reports suggested that the island’s oil export hub may have been affected, raising concerns about potential disruptions to crude supply. However, a U.S. official later clarified that the strikes did not impact oil infrastructure.
During a visit to Hungary, U.S. Vice President JD Vance addressed the strikes, stating that they did not represent a shift in strategy.
“We intended to strike certain military targets on Kharg Island, and I believe we achieved that,” Vance said.
“We will not target energy infrastructure unless Iran presents a proposal we can support, or fails to do so. I do not believe what happened on Kharg indicates any strategic change.”
Earlier, on March 30, President Trump had warned that the United States could destroy “power plants, oil wells, and Kharg Island.” In mid-March, he stated that military targets on the island had been “completely obliterated,” while suggesting that oil infrastructure could be targeted next.
U.S. officials said the latest operation targeted dozens of military sites, including bunkers, storage facilities, and air defense systems along the northern part of the island. No U.S. ground troops were deployed. Some of the targets had reportedly been struck in previous attacks.
Trump’s latest warning
President Trump issued a new warning as the deadline related to the Strait of Hormuz approached.
“An entire civilization will be wiped out tonight, never to be revived again,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“I don’t want that to happen, but it might. However, now that we may have a complete regime change, where more intelligent and less extreme minds prevail, perhaps something remarkable could happen.”
Smoke rises from Kharg Island. Photo: Telegram
“WHO KNOWS? We will find out today—one of the most important moments in world history.”
The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been revised following objections from Russia and China.
IRGC issues strong warning
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a strong warning on April 7, stating that if its “red lines” are crossed, the scale of its response would deprive the United States and its allies of access to regional energy resources for years.
In a statement, the IRGC said its naval and aerospace forces had launched a coordinated operation in the early hours of the day, described as the 99th wave of the “True Promise 4” campaign.
The operation was said to target U.S. bases and interests in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, as well as Israeli military command centers. Weapons used reportedly included ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and armed drones.
The IRGC also claimed it had struck major petrochemical facilities in Saudi Arabia linked to U.S. companies, including sites in Al Jubail and Al Juaima’h, using medium-range missiles and suicide drones.
In addition, it stated that an اسرائیli-linked container ship carrying military equipment near the UAE port of Khorfakkan had been precisely targeted.
The group further claimed it had launched long-range naval cruise missiles toward a U.S. aircraft carrier group in the Indian Ocean.
“We have shown considerable restraint until now,” the IRGC said. “But those considerations no longer apply. Our response will extend beyond the region if U.S. forces cross our red lines.”
Models of Iranian missiles. Photo: Tasnim
Casualties and damage
Iranian media reported that 18 people, including two children, were killed in strikes in Alborz province near Tehran. Another 24 people were injured.
Authorities said residential areas had been hit in attacks attributed to the United States and Israel.
Separately, a railway bridge in Kashan was reportedly struck, killing two people. Another attack targeted a highway bridge on the Tabriz–Zanjan route in northwestern Iran.
The Israeli military also said it had struck a petrochemical complex in Shiraz.
Oil prices rise, talks continue
Global oil prices surged on April 7 amid the escalating conflict. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for May delivery rose more than 3% to $116.02 per barrel, while Brent crude for June increased over 1.7% to $111.67 per barrel.
U.S. stock futures declined, with the S&P 500 falling more than 0.5% in early trading.
At the same time, diplomatic efforts continued behind the scenes. Pakistani sources indicated that mediation proposals include an immediate ceasefire followed by negotiations toward a comprehensive agreement within 15 to 20 days.
Iran has expressed a desire to end the conflict with the United States and Israel in the long term, while rejecting pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz unconditionally.
A senior Pakistani security official warned that recent Iranian strikes on Saudi industrial facilities linked to U.S. companies could derail negotiations.
“If Saudi Arabia responds, the talks could collapse,” the official said, adding that Pakistan could be drawn into the conflict due to its defense agreements with Saudi Arabia.
Another source said Iran is “walking on thin ice,” and that the next few hours would be decisive.
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Kharg Island, often referred to as Iran’s “oil island,” handles more than 90% of the country’s oil exports, with infrastructure capable of processing and storing millions of barrels per day.
Before the conflict, Iran produced between 3 and 4 million barrels of oil per day.
