Trump says 8 pm deadline for Iran 'is happening'

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that strikes against Iran would proceed if his 8 pm local time (0000GMT Wednesday) deadline passed without a deal.

Trump told Fox News that "8 pm is happening," and the timeline was firmly on track.

He said if the deadline was reached, there would be "an attack like they have not seen.

Trump said Monday that postponing the deadline was "highly unlikely," adding, "They've had plenty of time."

The US president left a narrow opening, saying concrete progress in negotiations could change the calculus, but at that point, plans were moving forward.

"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Trump set the deadline, threatening to destroy every bridge and power plant in Iran if Tehran failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and agree to a deal.

The US-Israeli strikes on Iran that began Feb. 28 have reportedly killed at least 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.