Day 25 of Operation Epic Fury has delivered the war’s most contradictory 24 hours yet. Iran has formally notified the United Nations that “non-hostile vessels” may now transit the Strait of Hormuz — potentially cracking open the world’s most critical oil chokepoint for the first time since the war began on February 28. But even as Tehran appeared to extend an olive branch to global energy markets, its military command publicly scorched any notion of peace talks with Washington, and Israel launched a devastating new wave of airstrikes on government infrastructure in the Iranian capital.
With President Trump’s extended March 27 deadline just two days away, the conflict stands at a razor’s edge between diplomatic breakthrough and catastrophic escalation.
Iran Cracks Open the Strait of Hormuz — With Conditions
In a letter to the United Nations Security Council and the International Maritime Organization, Iran announced on Tuesday that “non-hostile vessels” may transit the Strait of Hormuz — provided they coordinate with Iranian authorities. The offer, first reported by Reuters, defines non-hostile vessels as those that “neither participate in nor support acts of aggression against Iran” and do not belong to the United States or Israel.
The announcement marks the most significant shift in Iran’s naval posture since it effectively shut down most Western shipping through the strait in early March. Approximately one-fifth of the world’s crude oil supply passes through the narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula, and its closure has triggered a global energy crisis that the International Energy Agency has called worse than the 1970s oil shocks and the Ukraine war combined.
Oil markets responded immediately. Brent crude, the international benchmark, plunged 6 percent on Wednesday morning to $94 a barrel — the first time it has dipped below $100 since the war began. Asian stock markets surged on the news, with investors in the region that buys 80 percent of the oil shipped through Hormuz reacting to signals of possible de-escalation.
But analysts caution that Iran’s offer is far from a full reopening. Ships linked to the United States, Israel, or their allies remain barred. And Iran has separately threatened to mine the entire Persian Gulf if Washington appears to be on the verge of a ground operation — a scenario that became more plausible this week with the Pentagon’s deployment of thousands of additional troops.
Iran’s Military Scorches Trump’s Peace Overture
While Iran’s UN mission was offering a lifeline to oil tankers, the country’s main military command was delivering a very different message to Washington.
“Has the level of your internal conflict reached the point where you are negotiating with yourselves?” asked spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari in a statement carried by Iranian state media. “Someone like us will never come to terms with someone like you — not now, not ever.”
The blistering rebuke came in response to Trump’s claims on Tuesday that negotiations to end the war were underway and that Iran had agreed to “never have a nuclear weapon.” Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, senior adviser Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner were all involved in the talks.
Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan echoed the denial: “Based on my information, contrary to Trump’s claim, no direct or indirect negotiations have taken place between the two countries so far.”
But behind the fiery public posture, there are signs that back-channel communications are happening. According to four Iranian officials and an Iranian diplomat cited by the New York Times, Tehran and Washington have been exchanging messages through intermediaries about de-escalating the conflict. Pakistan confirmed on Wednesday that it had delivered a U.S. proposal to Iran, and both Pakistan and Turkey are reportedly under consideration as venues for potential talks.
The 15-Point Peace Plan
The Trump administration’s peace framework, sent to Tehran via Pakistani intermediaries, reportedly addresses several key issues:
- Iran’s ballistic missile program — which the US and Israel have spent four weeks systematically targeting
- Iran’s nuclear program — the IAEA declared Iran in material breach before the war, and current enrichment levels remain unknown after inspectors were expelled
- Maritime routes — specifically the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to all international shipping
- A framework for ceasefire — though details remain classified
According to Axios, Washington is pushing for high-level talks as soon as Thursday, March 26 — one day before Trump’s extended deadline. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly remains concerned that Trump might strike a deal that falls short of Israel’s objectives.
Israel Launches Fresh Wave of Strikes on Tehran
Even as diplomatic feelers extended in multiple directions, Israel’s military announced early Wednesday morning that it had launched a new “wave of strikes” targeting government infrastructure across Tehran.
The strikes targeted what the IDF described as “regime infrastructure sites,” including what Reuters reported was a naval missile production facility. Massive blasts were heard in both northern Tehran and the city center. The strikes came approximately 40 minutes after Trump announced his five-day extension on attacking Iran’s power plants — a timeline that suggests Israel is operating on its own schedule regardless of U.S. diplomatic overtures.
The pattern has repeated throughout the conflict: Trump signals restraint, and Israel intensifies. On March 13, the combined force struck Kharg Island — Iran’s primary oil export terminal — in the highest number of strikes since the war began. The 4th Artesh Ground Forces Aviation base in Isfahan was hit again on March 19, and Basij bases in Kermanshah and Tehran provinces were targeted in what appeared to be strikes on Iran’s internal security apparatus.
Gulf States Under Fire: Kuwait Airport Burns, 30+ Drones Hit Saudi Arabia
The war’s reach extended further across the Persian Gulf overnight. A drone attack struck a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a massive fire visible across the city, according to Kuwait’s civil aviation authority. The airport — largely closed to commercial flights since the war began — has been attacked multiple times.
Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry reported intercepting at least 30 drones over the kingdom since Tuesday evening. Air-raid sirens sounded early Wednesday in Bahrain. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for firing missiles at Israel, Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain, according to state television.
82nd Airborne Deployment Brings U.S. Ground Force to 7,000
The Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday that it has ordered approximately 2,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division’s Immediate Response Force to deploy to the Middle East. The elite paratroopers, capable of deploying anywhere in the world within 18 hours, will bring the total number of additional U.S. ground troops in the region to nearly 7,000.
Officials said the deployment location would be “within striking distance of Iran,” though they declined to specify the exact destination. The move comes amid reports that the U.S. has drawn up plans for a potential ground operation in Iran — a scenario that prompted Tehran’s threat to mine the Persian Gulf.
Since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, at least six U.S. service members have been killed in action. A KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in Iraq on March 12 during operations.
The Human Cost
The civilian toll continues to mount. Iran’s UN ambassador has reported at least 1,348 civilian deaths since the start of the war — a figure that hasn’t been updated since March 11 and is almost certainly higher. The Human Rights Activists News Agency puts the number above 1,440. More than 1,000 people have been killed in Lebanon, where Israeli warplanes roared over Beirut through the night and strikes hit the southern suburbs and refugee camps.
In Israel, a direct missile hit in Tel Aviv caused extensive damage to at least three residential buildings, with six people treated for injuries. One woman was killed and two others wounded in northern Israel after an intense afternoon of rocket and drone fire from Lebanon.
What Happens Next: The March 27 Countdown
The next 48 hours will likely determine whether this war escalates to a new level or finds an off-ramp. Trump’s March 27 deadline — originally set for March 22 before being extended — gives Iran until Thursday to “fully open” the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on its power plants. Iran’s conditional reopening for non-hostile vessels may be an attempt to offer just enough to prevent that escalation while maintaining leverage.
The Saudi factor looms large. The New York Times reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been encouraging Trump to pursue the war. When asked about the report, Trump called MBS “a warrior” and said “he’s fighting with us.”
Meanwhile, the Philippines has declared a state of national energy emergency, oil exports from the Middle East have fallen at least 60 percent, and the U.S. Treasury has issued a temporary waiver allowing the sale of 140 million barrels of Iranian oil already in transit — a measure designed to inject supply into panicking global markets.
The contradiction at the heart of this crisis remains unresolved: Iran says it won’t negotiate but opens the Strait. Trump says he’s won the war but deploys more troops. Israel says it supports diplomacy but bombs Tehran. With the March 27 deadline approaching, something has to give.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.