It is happening: Trump doubles down on Iran 8 PM deadline, signals heavy strikes

Trump warned of heavy strikes on Iran if his 8 PM deadline passes, saying plans are underway while leaving room for talks, amid escalating rhetoric and alarming Truth Social posts.

In Short

• Trump sets 8 PM Tuesday deadline for Iran progress
• Military action remains an option if deadline is missed
• Trump warns of unprecedented attack if no deal

A sense of urgency and escalation marked Donald Trump’s latest warning to Iran, as he signalled the United States is prepared to launch “heavy strikes” if a key deadline passes without progress.

US President Donald Trump said Washington is ready to carry out heavy strikes against Iran if his 8 PM Tuesday deadline is not met, according to Fox News.

Trump made the remarks during a phone call with Fox News anchor Bret Baier, making it clear that the timeline remains unchanged.

“8 PM is happening,” Baier said, recounting what the President told him. Baier said Trump declined to put odds on whether a deal would be reached but stressed that military action is very much on the table.

“He said if we get to that point, there is going to be an attack like they have not seen,” Baier said, describing the warning. Trump, however, indicated there is still a narrow window for negotiations if something concrete emerges before the deadline.

“But at this hour, he didn’t want to put odds on it he said it is moving forward with the plans that we have,” Baier added.

The remarks signal that the US is keeping both options open — a last-minute deal or a potential military strike — with the situation expected to turn on whether progress is made before 8 PM Tuesday.

Trump had already ramped up his rhetoric on Truth Social, posting a series of stark warnings that pointed to a major turning point in the standoff with Iran.

In one message, he warned of large-scale destruction, writing, “A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will,” underscoring the gravity of the situation amid reports of US strikes on key Iranian infrastructure, including Kharg Island.

At the same time, Trump hinted at a possible political shift inside Iran, suggesting the current escalation could lead to change in Tehran. “Now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?” he wrote.

Framing the moment as historic, Trump added, “We will find out tonight 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death will finally end,” before ending his message with, “God Bless the Great People of Iran!”

- Ends