Israel warns Iranians to avoid trains ahead of Trump deadline

Israel's military issued an urgent warning to Iranian civilians on Tuesday to avoid all train travel and stay away from railway infrastructure throughout the country until 9 p.m. local time, citing safety concerns amid escalating military tensions.

"For the sake of your security, we kindly request that from this moment until 21:00 Iran time, you refrain from using and travelling by train throughout Iran," the Israeli military posted on social media in Farsi. "Your presence on trains and near railway lines endangers your life," the statement added.

The warning came hours before a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump expires at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday. Trump has demanded that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to destroy Iran's bridges and power plants if a deal is not reached by that time.

At least two people were killed in an Israeli strike on the Yahya Abad railway bridge in Kashan city in central Iran, according to Isfahan's deputy governor. The strike occurred on Tuesday, hours after Israel issued its threat to target trains and railways.

Following the Israeli warnings, train travel to and from Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city, was affected.

The warning represents an escalation in military operations that began on February 28, when Israel and the United States launched a surprise air offensive against Iran. Trump has previously stated that Iran "can be taken out in one night and that night might be tomorrow," and has threatened to strike Iran's electric generating plants simultaneously.

The Israeli military's warning in Farsi was directed specifically at Iranian civilians using the country's rail network, making clear that stations and tracks normally used by civilians could be targeted during the warning period.