A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
New rounds of missile fire and airstrikes this morning have hit all over the Middle East ahead of President Trump's deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.
LEILA FADEL, HOST:
In a post on Sunday that included the F word, the president demanded Iran open the key waterway or he'd bomb the country's power plants and bridges. Civilian infrastructure is protected by international law. He also told ABC that if no deal was made, he would blow up the whole country. Those statements drew sharp rebukes from Iranian officials as people continue to be killed from Iran to Lebanon to Israel in this regional war. Also coming up, we speak with a retired Navy fighter pilot about the rescue of an American weapons officer whose jet was shot down over Iran. First, let's get the latest information.
MARTÍNEZ: For more, we go now to NPR's Carrie Kahn in Tel Aviv.
Carrie, President Trump set that new deadline for Iran to make a deal. Tell us how Iran has responded.
CARRIE KAHN, BYLINE: Iranian officials said Trump has, quote, "resorted to obscenities and nonsense out of sheer desperation and anger." Iran's mission to the U.N. posted that Trump, quote, "seeks to drag the region into an endless war" and that Trump's threats to bomb bridges and power shows intent to commit a war crime and urged immediate international intervention. An Iranian president spokesman said opening the Strait, which was, of course, open before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, will only happen when Iran is compensated for the cost of this war.
MARTÍNEZ: OK. What about Israel? What are they saying about this deadline?
KAHN: Well, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, effusively praised Trump for the rescue of the U.S. airman yesterday who had ejected from his plane when he was shot down in Iran. Israel did provide intelligence for that risky mission but did not participate in it directly. And that came from an Israeli military official speaking to NPR on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive issues. Another person tells NPR, and speaking under the same conditions, that Israel is waiting for Trump's decision on the Strait and will take part in any military action alongside the U.S. if asked.
MARTÍNEZ: All right. Now, Iran's missile capacity, however, still in force today. It was an intense morning there in Israel. What can you tell us about that?
KAHN: It has been a very intense day here. Since midnight, multiple missiles are coming from Iran, and a strike last night killed four Israelis in Haifa. The air space, not as secure as we've been hearing from the U.S. and Israel. Today, Israel's defense minister, Israel Katz, says forces struck another Iranian petrol chemical facility there. He said together with other strikes, Israel has taken out of operation 85% of the industry, which is one of the country's largest revenue sources. Also, Israel says it killed a leading military leader and also the intelligence chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran confirmed that. Defense Minister Katz said Israel would continue to, quote, "hunt down" Iran's leaders.
MARTÍNEZ: And what about in the Gulf? Iranian missiles reached multiple countries there, too.
KAHN: Yes. Kuwait has been hit hard this morning, as well as the UAE. Both countries report intercepting multiple missiles from Iran, and there's much concern in the Gulf that if Iran does escalate attacks there, its air defense systems may be unable to handle that increased fire. And in terms of any diplomatic actions on the horizon, officials across the region from Oman, Turkey, Pakistan and Egypt say they are exploring all avenues.
MARTÍNEZ: That's NPR's Carrie Kahn in Tel Aviv. Carrie, thanks.
KAHN: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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