The briefing for Tuesday, April 7.

President Trump's Tuesday 8 p.m. deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is approaching with little sign of breakthrough. Trump has threatened to bomb all of Iran's power plants and bridges if the waterway—through which a fifth of the world's oil normally transits—remains closed. Iran rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal Monday and instead demanded a permanent end to the war. Saudi Arabia closed the King Fahd Causeway bridge to Bahrain on Tuesday after Iran fired seven ballistic missiles at its Eastern Province, targeting energy facilities.

The threats to hit civilian infrastructure have prompted widespread international concern. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that attacks on civilian infrastructure are banned under international law. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon urged Trump not to follow through, calling such actions "unacceptable." Trump said Monday he's "not at all" concerned about committing war crimes, though he also stated he doesn't want to destroy Iranian infrastructure and acknowledged rebuilding could take decades.

This marks Trump's fourth deadline extension since March 23, when he first threatened Iran with infrastructure strikes. Each previous deadline was pushed back as Trump oscillated between threats and claims of productive negotiations. Iranian officials called on young people to form human chains around power plants ahead of potential strikes. Trump insists Iran is negotiating in good faith but said the country "can be taken out in one night." Oil prices have surged above $111 per barrel for Brent crude, up more than 50% since the war began.

New operational details have emerged about the dramatic weekend rescue of a US airman who spent two days hiding in remote Iranian mountains after his F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down Friday. The weapons operator became separated from his pilot and remained stranded in rugged terrain while Iranian forces offered a $66,000 bounty and armed civilians searched the area. The airman, severely injured, scaled a 7,000-foot ridge while treating his own wounds and concealing himself in a mountain crevice.

The CIA traced his exact location and ran a deception campaign inside Iran, falsely spreading word that US forces had already found him. The rescue operation involved 155 aircraft including bombers, fighters, refueling tankers and rescue helicopters. Navy SEALs were airdropped to retrieve the airman while strikes kept Iranian troops away from his position. The airman restricted use of his emergency beacon out of concern Iran could detect it, and communicated Iranian positions from his hiding place to aid with protective strikes.

Two US C-130 transport planes became bogged down in soil at a remote Iranian base used during the operation and were destroyed to prevent capture, standard military practice. Trump said much of the massive air operation was "subterfuge" designed to make Iran think the airman was in a different location. The successful rescue marked the first downed US aircraft with crew surviving in enemy territory in over 20 years, though it underscored ongoing risks American forces face in Iran.

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack said Monday that interest rate hikes could be appropriate if inflation remains persistently above the central bank's 2% target. In an interview with the Associated Press, Hammack said her general preference is to keep rates unchanged "for quite some time," but opened the door to increases if inflation stays elevated. The comments mark a shift from late last year when the Fed cut rates three times.

Gas prices averaged $4.12 per gallon nationwide Monday, up 80 cents from a month earlier due to the Iran war's impact on oil markets. Economists forecast Friday's March inflation report will show consumer prices jumped 0.8% from February—the biggest monthly increase in almost four years—with annual inflation reaching 3.1%, up from 2.4% in February. Hammack said Cleveland Fed estimates show inflation could hit 3.5% in April, the highest since 2024.

The Fed faces a challenging situation as higher gas prices threaten both its inflation and employment mandates. Hammack noted consumers may cut spending elsewhere in response to energy costs, potentially leading to weaker growth and layoffs that would require rate cuts. But if inflation remains elevated despite economic softening, rate hikes could be needed. Any rate increases would likely prompt sharp criticism from President Trump, who has called for the Fed to lower its benchmark rate to 1% from the current 3.6%.

Ordinary Iranians are preparing for potential US strikes on power plants and bridges as Trump's deadline approaches, despite more than five weeks of internet blackout making communications difficult. Residents report stockpiling supplies and filling containers with water amid fears of prolonged outages. "My mum is filling every bottle she can find in the house with water," said one Tehran resident in her 20s. Another described thinking about scenarios of sitting with family "with no water, no electricity, nothing."

Many Iranians initially welcomed US-Israeli strikes against government targets but now view attacks on civilian infrastructure as crossing a red line. "Hitting a power station just paralyzes the country. It just plays into the Islamic Republic's hands," said one resident near a major Karaj power station. Iranian state television has been showing videos of well-stocked grocery stores while calling on citizens to form human chains around power plants. At least 13 people were killed when a bridge under construction in Karaj was bombed Thursday.

The economic impact is already being felt across Iran. A building superintendent engineer in Tehran said "no-one is building anything right now" and companies are beginning layoffs. A restaurant owner reported business is "not the same as before." Iranian officials have mocked Trump's deadline, with a presidential aide calling his threats "insults and nonsense" born of "sheer desperation and anger." The internet blackout, imposed by authorities over five weeks ago, has made it extremely difficult to contact people inside the country.

A federal appeals court ruled Monday that Iowa can enforce a 2023 law restricting teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ topics with students in kindergarten through sixth grade and banning certain books from school libraries. The decision by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals vacates lower court temporary blocks on the law, which had been challenged by the Iowa State Education Association, major publishers, bestselling authors, and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.

The law prohibits K-12 school libraries from including materials with descriptions or visual depictions of six specific sex acts. It also bans "any program, curriculum, test, survey, questionnaire, promotion, or instruction relating to gender identity or sexual orientation" in grades K-6. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird called it "a huge win for Iowa parents," saying schools should be "a safe place for their children to learn, not be concerned they are being indoctrinated."

Critics argue the law's language is overly broad and could restrict education and access to age-appropriate materials. The teachers union and publishers maintained the restrictions reach "far beyond obscenity" and could infringe on First Amendment rights. The appeals court sided with the state, ruling that school library books can be considered part of the school's curriculum and that "the First Amendment does not guarantee students the right to access books of their choosing at taxpayer expense." The cases will continue in district court while the law remains in effect.