The U.S., Iran and a group of ​regional mediators are discussing the terms ‌for a potential 45-day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end to the war, Axios ​reported on Sunday, citing four U.S., ​Israeli and regional sources with knowledge ⁠of the talks.

Reuters could not immediately verify ​the report. The White House and the U.S. ​State Department did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

The mediators are discussing the terms ​of a two-phased deal, the report ​said, adding that the first phase would be a ‌potential ⁠45-day ceasefire during which a permanent end to the war would be negotiated.

The second phase would be an agreement on ​ending the war, ​the ⁠report said.

The ceasefire could be extended if additional time was required ​for talks, the report said.

U.S. ​President ⁠Donald Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Sunday his deadline for Iran to ⁠open ​the Strait of Hormuz ​or face attacks on critical infrastructure is Tuesday evening.

President Donald Trump said Sunday that the US rescued a military officer, identified as a colonel, in “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in US history.”

Trump said on his Truth Social that the officer was trapped behind enemy lines in Iran’s mountainous terrain and was being pursued by hostile forces before being safely recovered in a major military operation involving dozens of aircraft.

Noting that the officer suffered injuries, Trump said he “will be just fine.”

He said the mission followed the separate rescue of another US pilot on Friday, which was not announced earlier to avoid jeopardizing the second operation.

“At my direction, the US Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the World, to retrieve him,” he said. “This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory.”

He also claimed the operations were completed without any Americans killed or wounded.

Calling the missions proof of US air superiority over Iran, Trump praised the armed forces as “the best, most professional, and lethal military in the history of the World.”

He said the rescues were a moment for all Americans to take pride in.

U.S. Army Chief ​of Staff Randy George was fired on Thursday by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, three U.S. defense officials told Reuters, in ‌the latest purge among the Pentagon’s most senior ranks, Reuters reported.

Even as Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has moved quickly to reshape the department, firing a general during wartime is nearly without precedent.

The Pentagon confirmed that George, who had more than a year left in his term, “will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief ​of Staff of the Army effective immediately.”

The Pentagon said in a statement it was grateful for George’s decades of service. “We wish ​him well in his retirement,” it said.

Two of the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Hegseth has ⁠also fired General David Hodne, who leads the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, and Major General William Green, head of the Army’s Chaplain ​Corps.

The department did not give a reason for George’s departure, which comes as the U.S. military builds up its forces in the Middle East ​while carrying out operations against Iran.

The U.S. strikes in the region are largely being carried out by the Navy and Air Force, although U.S. Army soldiers have been dispatched to the Middle East for air defense systems. The Army is the largest branch of the U.S. military, with about 450,000 active-duty soldiers.

Thousands of soldiers from the U.S. Army’s ​elite 82nd Airborne Division have also started arriving in the Middle East, potentially for ground operations in Iran.

There had been no ​public signs of friction between Hegseth and George, even as Hegseth pursued controversial moves such as firing the Army’s top lawyer and arranging a massive military parade ‌to celebrate ⁠the Army’s 250th birthday, which coincided with Trump’s birthday, read the report.

Earlier this week, Hegseth also reversed an Army decision to investigate Army pilots who were flying attack helicopters near singer Kid Rock’s house, in an apparent show of support for the vocal Trump backer.

CBS News, which first reported the dismissal, said it was not related to the Kid Rock incident.

One of the officials said Hegseth’s former military aide and Army vice chief of staff, General Christopher ​LaNeve, will take over George’s role ​in an acting capacity.

Another of ⁠the officials added that senior Army leadership learned about George’s firing at the same time as it was made public.

George, an infantry officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, was confirmed to the top Army post in ​2023. Terms in that role usually run for four years.

Prior to holding the top job, George was ​the vice chief of ⁠the Army and, before that, the senior military adviser to then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

He was considered close to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. The two worked together to take on large defense companies, in the Army’s drive to speed up weapons development and drive down costs.

George’s removal adds to recent upheaval at ⁠all levels ​of leadership at the Pentagon, including the firing last year of the previous chairman of ​the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown, as well as the chief of naval operations and Air Force vice chief of staff.

The office for George did ​not immediately respond to a request for comment.