President Donald Trump threatened Tuesday to wipe out a “whole civilization,” and the United States hit military targets on Iran’s main oil export hub, as he ramped up pressure on Iran to fully open the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating strikes on critical infrastructure within hours.

The United States and Israel stepped up their attacks on Iran to force it to open the strait, a key oil and gas shipping route, and agree to a ceasefire deal, according to U.S. and Israeli officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. Trump issued his grave warning on social media as U.S. forces struck Kharg Island, the oil export hub, with no public signs of a diplomatic breakthrough to end the war.

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” Trump wrote, adding that he hoped “maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen” to avoid the attacks. “We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World.”

Trump has set a deadline of 8 p.m. Eastern time for Iran to end its effective blockade of the strait, saying Monday that otherwise every bridge in the country would be “decimated” and every power plant would be “out of business.”

Israel Launches Airstrikes on Bridges

The Israeli military said it had launched airstrikes on eight bridges across Iran and warned Iranians not to ride railroads until 9 p.m. local time. Iranian state media reported that at least three people were killed when a railway bridge was hit in the central city of Kashan.

Iranians formed human chains along bridges and around power plants around the country, videos and photographs posted by state and local media showed, in effect daring the United States and Israel to kill civilians in order to hit those sites. It was unclear whether the gatherings were arranged by the government, which has organized rallies in its support throughout the war.

Striking civilian infrastructure could be a war crime under international law. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesperson for the Iranian military, has said that Iran would retaliate “crushingly and extensively” if its civilian infrastructure were attacked.

Trump ‘Has Lost His Mind’

Some Iranians were bracing for the possibility of more strikes, while others were responding to the U.S. threats with a mix of indifference, defiance, and bewilderment. “I think Trump is under a lot of pressure and that he has lost his mind,” said Lili, a Tehran resident who asked not to use her full name out of concern for repercussions for speaking to foreign media. She and her family were not planning to flee the city, she added, because there was nowhere to go.

Iran targeted energy facilities in Persian Gulf countries allied with the United States. Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said debris from an intercepted missile had fallen near energy facilities in the east and that the damage was being assessed. The United Arab Emirates’ Defense Ministry said missiles and drones had been fired from Iran.

Negotiations between Iran and the United States have been mediated by Pakistan and other regional allies, which have proposed a 45-day ceasefire. On Monday, Iran delivered a separate 10-point plan to end the war to the United States and Israel through Pakistan, according to Iranian state media, but it appeared unlikely to resolve major differences between the warring parties before Trump’s deadline.

Trump said the plan was a “significant step” but that it was “not good enough,” and Iran rejected any proposal for a truce.

Other Iran War News

— Oil prices: Oil prices initially climbed Tuesday after Trump rejected a ceasefire proposal the previous day as “not good enough.” The price of Brent Crude, the international benchmark, rose 1.5% to about $111 a barrel, before falling slightly.

— Strait of Hormuz: Britain will host a virtual meeting Tuesday of military planners from more than 40 countries about how to secure safe passage through the waterway after the war ends.

— Pentagon media: The Pentagon canceled a news conference with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Dan Caine, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that was scheduled for Tuesday.

— Death tolls: The Human Rights Activists News Agency said at least 1,606 civilians, including 244 children, had been killed in Iran as of Friday. Lebanon’s Health Ministry on Thursday said at least 1,345 Lebanese had been killed in the latest fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. In attacks blamed on Iran, at least 50 people have been killed in Gulf nations. In Israel, at least 20 people had been killed as of Monday. The American death toll stands at 13 service members, with hundreds of others wounded.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Tyler Pager, Farnaz Fassihi, Julian E. Barnes, Ronen Bergman and Ravi Mattu/Diego Ibarra Sánchez

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