President Donald Trump said the entire country of Iran could be destroyed in one night, suggesting he could give the order for the attack on Tuesday. 

“The entire country [of Iran] can be taken out in one night. That night might be tomorrow night,” the President said during an address on Monday. On Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social that Iran had until Tuesday at 8 PM to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or the US and Israel would destroy the country’s power plants and bridges. 

‘THE ENTIRE COUNTRY COULD BE TAKEN OUT IN ONE NIGHT. AND THAT NIGHT MIGHT BE TOMORROW NIGHT’ — Trump on Iran pic.twitter.com/6878o71TCo

— RT (@RT_com) April 6, 2026

During the address, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the largest attack on Iran was planned for Monday, and was planning an even larger strike on Tuesday. 

The US and Israel escalated strikes on civilian infrastructure in the past week. The US bombed a bridge last week, and Israel destroyed an Iranian petrochemical facility. Tel Aviv is preparing to strike more civilian sites after Trump’s deadline passes. 

Tehran restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after the US and Israel started an aggressive war against Iran in February. Iran has allowed a small number of tankers to cross the key waterway if passage was negotiated with Tehran. 

Trump has shifted his goals for the war multiple times. On the one hand, the President has said that the blockage of Persian Gulf oil is not a major concern for the US and has called on impaction nations to reopen the strait. At other times, Trump has threatened to destroy Iran if Iran does not allow tankers to exit the Gulf. 

Tehran has refused Trump’s demands and sees control of the strait as a way to inflict economic pain on the US and its allies. Iranian officials have said that Tehran will retain control over the Strait of Hormuz after the conflict ends.