Trump Sets Tuesday Deadline for Iran Ceasefire

Washington, April 7, 2026 - U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday that American forces could destroy the entire country of Iran in a single night, with that operation potentially occurring as soon as Tuesday evening, as he reiterated a deadline for Tehran to accept a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face widespread strikes on its infrastructure.

Trump made the statements during a White House press conference following a successful U.S. military rescue operation over the weekend that extracted two crew members from a downed F-15 fighter jet in Iranian territory. The aircraft was shot down by Iranian air defenses on Friday, marking the first such loss since the conflict began in late February. The back-seater, a weapons officer, evaded capture for nearly two days in rugged mountainous terrain before being recovered on Sunday morning. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the airman's first words upon rescue as "God is good," noting the timing aligned with Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The operation involved hundreds of personnel, dozens of aircraft including decoys and bombers, and a deception campaign led by the CIA to mislead Iranian forces. Trump called...