President Donald Trump have escalated his threats against Iran on Tuesday, warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if Tehran fails to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping.

The warning follows overnight US strikes on Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export terminal, a White House official confirmed to CNBC. The attacks mark a dramatic intensification of the conflict, which has already sent global energy prices soaring due to restricted oil transit through the strait.

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday morning.

“However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World.”

Trump set a firm deadline of 8 p.m. ET (1 a.m. WAT) for Iran to comply, framing the ultimatum as a historic turning point after months of escalating hostilities between the U.S., Israel, and Tehran.

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Over the weekend, Trump had threatened to destroy Iran’s bridges and power plants, posting on social media: “Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell.”

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At a White House news conference on Monday, Trump clarified that any deal to avert the deadline must be “acceptable to me, and part of that deal is going to be, we want free traffic of oil and everything else.” He has criticized Iran’s proposals for tolls in the strait and hinted at imposing U.S. control over passage.

Efforts to negotiate a temporary 45-day ceasefire reportedly stalled, as Iran rejected a temporary truce and called instead for a permanent end to hostilities.

Trump’s Vice President, JD Vance, defended the strikes from Hungary, where he supported Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s reelection campaign.

“What Iran is trying to do, because they’ve been defeated militarily, is they’re trying to extract as much economic pain on the world as possible, and the president of the United States is a man who recognizes leverage,” Vance said.
“The deadline is eight o’clock.”

Trump maintains that the Iranian people, living under a repressive regime, support continued U.S. military operations despite the risks.

“They would be willing to suffer that in order to have freedom,” he said.
“We’ve had numerous intercepts, ‘Please keep bombing.’ Bombs that are dropping near their homes. ‘Please keep bombing. Do it.’”