Trump threatens strikes on Iranian power plants, Tehran vows to ‘annihilate’ US-linked infrastructure (VIDEOS, PHOTOS)

03 April 2026

Iranian state news IRIB has published pictures purporting to show the debris of a downed US F-35 jet.

Part of the alleged wreckage sports markings which match those used by the US Air Forces in Europe.

The IRGC has denied carrying out a strike on a Kuwaiti desalination plant, accusing Israel of carrying it out as a false flag attack.

“The IRGC condemns this inhumane act and declares that American bases and military personnel in the region, as well as the military and security centers of the Zionist regime in the occupied Palestinian territories, are our targets,” the corps said in a statement cited by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.

Israel has taken out 70% of Iran’s steel-making capacity in recent days, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed.

“This is a tremendous achievement that deprives the Revolutionary Guards of both financial sources and the ability to produce a large number of weapons,” he said in a statement published on X.

“We are eliminating commanders, bombing bridges, bombing infrastructure,” he added, promising to “continue to crush Iran.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has pushed back against Trump’s threat to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Age,” saying it could only amount to an admission of intent to commit “widespread war crimes.”

He made the remark on X, criticizing the international community for not doing enough to oppose the US and stop US aggression.

“History is replete with the experiences of those who have paid a heavy price for their silence in the face of criminals,” he wrote.

Trump has again claimed the US “can easily open the Hormuz Strait, take the oil and make a fortune” if given “a little more time.”

In a Truth Social post, he added it would be “a gusher for the world,” apparently suggesting it could generate huge amounts of oil and money very quickly.

Footage filmed by Ruptly shows an airstrike hitting northern Tehran near the Velenjak area. Separate strikes were also reported in the western part of the city.

A “valuable reward” has reportedly been promised in Iran for anyone who captures a US “enemy pilot alive,” according to a local Iranian channel.

Earlier, the IRGC claimed it had downed a US F-35 over central Iran, while local media published images purportedly showing an ejection seat found at the alleged crash site.

Footage by Ruptly shows the extensive destruction of the B1 Bridge, Iran’s tallest highway bridge under construction to link Tehran with the western city of Karaj. It was hit by US airstrikes on Thursday, with local media reporting that the attack killed eight people and injured 95 others.

“This bridge was not yet operational and was scheduled to open within the next two months,” Abolfazl Rahmani, the CEO of the Karaj Northern Freeway Construction Company, told RT, strongly denying any military use of the site.

“It had no military purpose – it was meant solely to address traffic problems… built for the people. There was no military transport, equipment, or activity of any kind – no vehicles, no missile launchers, nothing. This demonstrates the extreme hostility and cruelty of our enemies.”

He added that 10 to 12 heavy bunker-busting bombs struck the bridge.

Kuwait has said an Iranian strike hit a power and water desalination plant, damaging parts of the facility.

The Ministry of Electricity said emergency teams are operating under contingency plans to maintain services and secure the site.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has expressed doubt that the US will leave NATO, calling Trump’s rhetoric on the matter “pure shock value” which Congress “won’t allow.”

In a post on Telegram, he said the debate highlights “deep contradictions” within the bloc, worsened by the Iran war, and warned that because of this, the EU could evolve into a military alliance “even worse than NATO.”

“European political extremists, especially in Brussels, are seriously considering creating a full-fledged military component within the EU,” he said, warning that this could reshape the entire European security landscape.

A Japanese LNG tanker has crossed the Strait of Hormuz, media reports claim, citing the operator, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines.

Russia and Egypt back bringing Iran, the US, and Israel to the negotiating table, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said after talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty.

“It’s not easy… there are serious contradictions, often fueled by external forces,” Lavrov said. “But we must end the hostilities and start negotiations – that’s the only way to see if the parties truly want peace.”

He added the US should halt the military action against Iran instead of discussing reopening the Strait of Hormuz. 

Bertha Chikadza, the president of the Economic Association of Malawi, told RT that the economic and social fallout from the Iran war is already being felt across Africa, with energy supply disruptions proving difficult to manage.

“This will not be easy,” she said, pointing to longstanding structural challenges. “African countries face serious infrastructure gaps, especially in energy.”

Chikadza added that reliance on global supply chains leaves the continent highly exposed to external shocks. She added, however, that the crisis could also present an opportunity, calling it a potential catalyst for deeper regional cooperation.

“It may be time for African countries to work more closely – and more quickly – toward regional trade and economic integration.” 

The UK will deploy its Rapid Sentry air defense system to Kuwait following an overnight drone strike on Mina Al Ahmadi oil refinery, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office has said.

Starmer discussed the move with Kuwait’s crown prince in a phone call, condemning what he called a “reckless” attack.

Earlier, the refinery operator KPC said the facility – Kuwait’s largest – was hit by drones, sparking fires across several processing units.

Israel remains committed to disarming Hezbollah “through military and political means,” Defense Minister Israel Katz has said.

Speaking after a security assessment, Katz said the IDF is completing its ground offensive in southern Lebanon up to the line from which Hezbollah can target Israeli communities.

He warned that border villages used as Hezbollah positions would be demolished, and said Israel would “maintain security control” up to the Litani River, adding displaced Lebanese residents would not be allowed to return until security is ensured.

US Senator Chris Murphy has suggested generals are being fired because they are pushing back against the Trump administration’s war plans.

“It’s likely that experienced generals are telling Hegseth his Iran war plans are unworkable, disastrous, and deadly,” Murphy said.

His remarks come amid a sweeping shake-up of US military leadership, with several top officers removed without clear explanation.

A container ship belonging to French shipping giant CMA CGM has transited the Strait of Hormuz, French broadcaster BFM TV reported, in what appears to be the first Western-linked vessel to pass through since tensions escalated.

Maritime intelligence firm Windward said up to 16 ships made the transit on Wednesday, marking the third consecutive daily increase in traffic through the critical waterway, though volumes remain significantly lower than the pre-crisis average of roughly 130 ships per day.

Videos circulating on X purport to show an Iranian missile strike on northern Israel.

Israeli media reports shrapnel falling in at least seven locations across Haifa and Kiryat Ata, damaging buildings and vehicles. Reports also say cluster munitions struck Kiryat Ata and nearby areas in the latest wave.

The affected area is part of the Krayot cluster near Haifa, home to key industrial sites including oil refineries. 

Rows of oil tankers are queuing near the Strait of Hormuz awaiting Iranian permission to pass, according to US filmmaker and journalist Ahmad Saadaldin.

Saadaldin said ships are being allowed through only if they comply with Iranian rules, adding some are paying for passage. He described the situation as at odds with Trump’s claims that the strait can be easily reopened and that Iran has been largely neutralized.

“What I saw was completely contradictory to what Donald Trump claims… What I saw were rows and rows of oil tankers waiting for permission from Iran to cross,” he said in a video posted on social media after visiting the area.

Saadaldin, founder of media outlet Propaganda & Co, said he traveled to Iran to document what he called a “historical war” and to show solidarity with civilians.

RT’s Tehran bureau chief, Hami Hamedi, says the war has inflicted massive civilian damage across Iran, citing Red Crescent data showing more than 117,000 civilian sites hit as of April 2.

This includes over 93,000 residential units outside Tehran and more than 46,000 residential and commercial properties in the capital, as well as over 300 medical centers and more than 760 schools.

“The most significant” recent strike, he added, was on the home of senior official Kamal Kharrazi, who was severely injured and his wife was killed. Hamedi said Kharrazi had reportedly been in talks with Pakistani officials to arrange contact with the US, adding this “shows that despite the negotiations… there is still no trust, and attacks on individuals continue.”

“This is one of the issues that is diminishing Iran’s trust in America day by day,” he added.

The Israeli military has claimed to have killed in Lebanon around 1,000 Hezbollah fighters and struck more than 3,500 targets allegedly linked to the group over the past month.

The IDF says those killed include senior commanders and hundreds of Radwan Force operatives, with strikes targeting infrastructure, weapons depots, launch sites, and command centers.

It also claims to have hit financial assets tied to the Hezbollah-affiliated financial institution Al-Qard al-Hasan and five key bridges allegedly used to move weapons and fighters – part of what it frames as an effort to cripple Hezbollah’s funding and logistics.

The EU should brace for a prolonged energy shock from the US–Israeli war on Iran, with officials weighing fuel rationing and tapping emergency reserves, the bloc’s energy commissioner has warned.

“This will be a long crisis… Energy prices will be higher for a very long time,” Dan Jorgensen told the Financial Times.

He predicted that prices on some critical products are likely to worsen in the coming weeks. While the EU is not yet facing a supply crisis, it is preparing for “structural, long-lasting effects.”

Global energy prices have surged over the past month, with oil hitting multi-year highs. Brent crude has jumped roughly 50-60%, from the mid-$60s to around $110-115 per barrel. European gas prices have also spiked, with TTF roughly doubling from about €30/MWh pre-war to €60 at points. The surge is driven by the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz – a chokepoint for around 20% of global oil and LNG flows – along with ongoing strikes on Gulf energy infrastructure, disrupting supply.

Iran should “declare victory” and strike a deal to end the war on its own terms, former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has argued in an article for Foreign Affairs.

“Iran did not start its war with the United States and Israel. But more than a month in, the Islamic Republic is clearly winning it,” Zarif wrote. US and Israeli forces have spent weeks bombing Iran “in hopes of toppling the country’s government,” but Iran has held the line and successfully defended its interests,” he added. According to Zarif, Washington and its allies are stuck “in a quagmire without an exit strategy,” while Iran has achieved what he called “a historic feat of resistance.”

Zarif outlined a path to end the war, suggesting Tehran could limit its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for full sanctions relief. He also floated a mutual non-aggression pact with the US and renewed economic ties.

The IDF says its troops have killed armed Hezbollah fighters who approached their position in southern Lebanon, claiming they had posed an immediate threat and were struck in a rapid air response. Soldiers also reported seizing dozens of weapons, including rifles, RPGs, and ammunition.

The military said it will continue operations against Hezbollah, accusing the group of acting under Iran’s backing.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across Lebanon have hit multiple civilian areas, with casualties steadily rising. More than 1,000 people have been killed since early March, including children, according to Lebanese authorities and rights groups.  

French President Emmanuel Macron has rebuked Donald Trump over what he characterized as inconsistent messaging on NATO and the Iran war, saying serious leadership requires clarity.

“When you want to be serious, you don’t go around saying the opposite every day of what you just said the day before… perhaps you shouldn’t talk every day,” Macron said during a visit to South Korea, warning that there is “too much talk” from Trump and “it’s all over the place.”

He noted that the war is costing lives and hitting economies: “We all need stability, calm, a return to peace – this isn’t a show.”

The remarks come following mixed signals from Washington over the past week regarding the war, criticism of its European allies, and suggestions that the US could leave NATO.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has condemned US-Israeli strikes on Iranian health facilities, saying the agency has verified more than 20 attacks since March 1, with at least nine deaths.

“The conflict in Iran, and the region, is impacting the delivery of health services and the safety of health workers, patients, and civilians,” he wrote on X, urging de-escalation. “Peace is the best medicine.”

The Israeli Health Ministry says 148 people have been hospitalized over the past 24 hours amid Iranian strikes, pushing the total since February 28 to 6,594.

Currently, 124 people remain hospitalized. The ministry does not break down causes of injury, noting that some may have been hurt while seeking shelter rather than by direct missile fire or drone attacks. Figures include both civilians and soldiers.

The IDF claims it killed 15 Hezbollah operatives in an airstrike in southern Lebanon during ongoing ground operations.

Troops from the 146th Division reportedly identified the fighters in the western sector, after which the Israeli Air Force struck the area, the military said.

Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari has warned of “immediate retaliatory actions” if the US follows through on Trump’s threat to strike Iran’s power plants.

In a video address, accompanied by footage of the Stargate UAE project under construction, Zolfaghari said Iran would “do whatever it takes” to defend its interests.

“If the US proceeds with its threats regarding Iran’s power plants, immediate retaliatory actions will be taken,” he said. “All power plants, energy and information technology infrastructure of the Zionist regime and all similar companies in the region that have American shareholders shall face complete and utter annihilation.”

Stargate UAE is a major AI infrastructure project in Abu Dhabi, part of a broader initiative led by OpenAI with partners including MGX, G42, SoftBank, and Oracle. The project, backed by Washington after the UAE’s G42 scaled back ties with Chinese tech, is central to the country’s push to pivot from oil to an AI-driven economy under its Vision 2031 plan.

Trump has threatened to hit Iranian power plants, hours after the US struck he country’s tallest highway bridge linking Tehran with the western city of Karaj, rendering it inoperable.

“Our Military… hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, fast!”

The IRGC claims it has shot down a second US F-35 over central Iran, according to a Telegram post by Fars News Agency.

The jet was “completely destroyed” on impact, the report said, adding there was no information on the pilot due to the severity of the crash. Iran’s Mehr News Agency suggested the pilot likely did not eject, citing a “violent explosion.” PressTV and Tehran Times have published photos purportedly showing the site of the crash.

US Central Command has not commented on the latest claim, but disputed an earlier IRGC claim that it downed a US fighter jet.

The UN Security Council is set to vote Saturday on a Bahraini proposal authorizing states to use “all necessary means” to secure transit through the Strait of Hormuz. The draft would formalize a multinational naval ‘shield’, allowing warships to take preemptive defensive action against suspected launch sites.

The strong phrasing is diplomatic shorthand effectively authorizing force in the critical waterway. If adopted, it would give naval coalitions a legal mandate to intercept, board, or strike drones, speedboats, or minelaying vessels deemed threats to shipping, analysts say.

Kuwait’s largest refinery and export hub – Mina al-Ahmadi, south of Kuwait City – has been hit by drones, operator KPC said. No injuries were reported, but strikes sparked fires across several processing units. Some operations were halted as a precaution while emergency crews worked to contain the blazes.

It marks the second major attack on the site in recent weeks, following a similar strike on March 20. Mina al-Ahmadi has a capacity of around 730,000 barrels per day.

A drone reportedly struck the headquarters of Kurdish groups in Erbil, in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.

US President Donald Trump is “delusional” for believing that surging energy prices caused by his war on Iran do not have a major negative impact on ordinary Americans, including his own supporters, economist Jeffrey Sachs said.

“When you create a massive, unprecedented, sudden supply shock to the global market, it affects everybody. All of American industry is being hit by soaring energy prices,” Sachs told Rick Sanchez on his show Sanchez Effect. “The idea that the US is somehow immune to this is absurd… Whatever Mr. Trump thinks, Americans are hurting,” he added.

Several Iranian missiles carrying cluster munitions struck central Israel, with no immediate reports of injuries, Israeli medical services said.

A video posted on social media shows damage in Ramat Gan, east of Tel Aviv.

Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst shared a video on Thursday showing an Iranian missile striking Tel Aviv.

Roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers and kamikaze drones remain intact after more than 30 days of US-Israeli airstrikes, CNN has reported, citing three people familiar with recent US intelligence assessments.

“They are still very much poised to wreak absolute havoc across the region,” one of the sources said.

President Donald Trump has identified the destruction of Iran’s missile capabilities as one of the main objectives of the current war.

02 April 2026

The US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has left the Croatian port of Split after a stop for repairs and resupply, the Navy said.

The vessel had been pulled from operations against Iran following a fire on board that originated in its laundry area. 

The Strait of Hormuz would remain closed “in the long term” to the US and Israel, Iranian military spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi said.

“Every bridge and building will be rebuilt stronger,” Shekarchi said, according to Reuters, adding that attacks on “civilian structures” would not compel Iranians to surrender.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Age,” remarks the American leader made amid escalating tensions over the conflict.

“There’s one striking difference between the present and the Stone Age: there was no oil or gas being pumped in the Middle East back then. Are POTUS and Americans who put him in office sure that they want to turn back the clock?” Araghchi wrote on X.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that General Randy George has stepped down from his position as Army Chief of Staff. “The Department of War is grateful for General George’s decades of service to our nation,” Parnell wrote on X.

Earlier, CBS News reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had asked George to resign and intends to replace him with someone he considers better aligned with his and President Donald Trump’s policy agenda.

The death toll in the US and Israeli attack on the Karaj bridge in Iran has risen to eight, according to the Tasnim news agency. The strike also left at least 95 people injured, the report has said. The casualties include residents of a nearby village of Bilghan, as well as commuters and civilians who had gathered in the area to mark Nature Day.

The Israelis “will do what I tell them,” US President Donald Trump has said, calling West Jerusalem a “good team player.” Israel “will stop when I stop,” he told Time magazine in an interview.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is “a direct result of the unprovoked aggression by the United States and Israel against the sovereign territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, has told a UN Security Council meeting.

“Irreparable harm is being done not only to regional stability, but also to global food and energy security and to the world economy as a whole,” he warned, adding that Russia “stands ready to engage in the quest for a settlement of the current confrontation through political and diplomatic means.”

The US Central Command has denied the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps’ claim about downing an “advanced jet” over the Strait of Hormuz. “All US fighter aircraft are accounted for,” the command said in a post on X, accusing the IRGC of making a “false claim.”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff General Randy George to resign and take immediate retirement, CBS has reported, citing source familiar with the matter. One of the sources named differences in “vision for the army” between US President Donald Trump, Hegseth, and George as the reason for the move.

The IRGC has claimed that the country’s air defenses shot down an “advanced enemy jet” over the Strait of Hormuz. The aircraft was allegedly hit south of Qeshm Island and crashed into the sea, according to the statement. The IRGC also published a video purportedly showing the moment the jet was struck.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said strikes on civilian infrastructure, including bridges, will not force Iranians to surrender, calling them a sign of “defeat and moral collapse.” 

In a post on X, he added that damaged sites would be rebuilt “stronger,” but warned that the harm done to “America’s standing” would be irreversible. 

The remarks come after reports that strikes hit the B1 bridge near Tehran.

The IDF has claimed having killed Makram Atimi, identified as the commander of an Iranian ballistic missile unit, in the Kermanshah region. 

Several other Iranian battalion commanders were also killed in separate strikes, the military added.

Iranian media have published a video purportedly showing an Israeli Hermes 900 drone shot down by Iranian air defenses over Shiraz. The UAV is estimated to be worth more than $7 million.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi held a phone call at Tehran’s initiative to discuss the Middle East conflict and bilateral ties, Moscow has said.

The sides discussed de-escalation efforts and the situation around the Strait of Hormuz, following what Russia has described as “unprovoked aggression” by the US and Israel.

US President Donald Trump has warned that “it is time for Iran to make a deal before it is too late,” posting footage on Truth Social that he said showed a major bridge near Tehran being destroyed and adding that there is “much more to follow.”

Video circulating on social media allegedly shows an Iranian ballistic missile striking the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva.

No injuries have been reported so far, according to the Times of Israel. The IDF says it has also detected a ballistic missile launch from Yemen.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has urged the EU to immediately lift the sanctions on Russian energy, warning that the bloc faces “one of the most severe economic crises in its history.”

Hungary has long criticized the EU’s push to phase out Russian energy imports, arguing that the policy has driven up energy prices across member states and hurt businesses. Orban has said the sanctions imposed on Russia after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict have backfired. The Middle East war has also resulted in a surge in oil and gas prices.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has called for the creation of a UN-backed “humanitarian corridor” for fertilizers and other supplies to help “prevent a new food crisis,” particularly in Africa. He made the remarks on X following a UK-hosted virtual meeting on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s IRGC claims that it targeted an Amazon cloud data center in Bahrain in retaliation for the assassinations of Iranian officials and civilians. In a statement quoted by IRIB, it reportedly said the attack was part of ongoing operations and warned that further strikes could target US-linked tech companies in the region.

Claims by US President Donald Trump that the Strait of Hormuz can be easily reopened are contradicted by the situation on the ground, an American journalist has told RT after visiting the area.

Ahmad Hassan, the founder of Propaganda & Co., said he saw a “massive backlog” of oil tankers waiting for Iranian permission to pass, as well as the remains of damaged ships. Crew members told him their vessels were struck but “don’t know who struck it,” leaving them stranded.

Austria has denied US requests to use its airspace for military operations linked to the war on Iran, citing its policy of neutrality, according to broadcaster ORF. The move follows similar restrictions by Spain and Italy, amid growing tensions between Washington and European countries over the conflict.

Lebanon has become “a victim of a war whose outcome and end date no one can predict,” Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has said, calling for intensified diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

In a post on X, he warned that Israeli actions may go beyond previous operations, pointing to broader objectives, including territorial expansion and the displacement of more than 1 million people.

Photos circulating on X reportedly show damage to Iran’s Soha Helal pharmaceutical company.

According to the Iranian Red Crescent, more than 113,000 civilian sites – including homes, schools and medical facilities – have been damaged by US-Israeli attacks.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has threatened Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, warning he will “pay a very heavy price” for the rocket fire at Israel, according to the Times of Israel. Katz accused Hezbollah of targeting civilians during Passover, saying the group had intensified attacks as Israelis gathered for holiday celebrations. 

Israel began a military operation against Hezbollah in early March after the Lebanese-based militants launched waves of strikes against the Jewish state, in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Two of Iran’s largest steel producers – Khuzestan Steel in Ahvaz and Mobarakeh Steel in Isfahan – have reportedly been knocked out of operation following waves of US-Israeli attacks. Local media report that Mobarakeh Steel production lines have fully shut down, while Khuzestan Steel says it could take at least six months to recover.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have discussed the Middle East crisis in a phone call, expressing concern over civilian casualties and damage to key infrastructure, the Kremlin has said.

They called for a ceasefire and renewed political efforts, while warning that disruptions to energy production and transport are affecting global energy security.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei has shared photos of damaged facilities, saying “the American-Israeli aggressors” had struck the Pasteur Institute of Iran, a major public health and research center in the Middle East.

“This is not merely another war crime… it is a barbaric assault on basic human core values,” he wrote on X.

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has reportedly accused Iran of “recklessness” for what she described as disrupting global economic security, citing more than 25 attacks on vessels and around 2,000 ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

Britain claims to be in talks with France, Germany, and Gulf states in an attempt to find a solution to allowing shipping through the strait. The leaders have demanded “the reopening” of the Hormuz as energy prices soared. European NATO members, however, have been reluctant to send their navies to the strait.

US-Israeli strikes have damaged Iran’s B1 Bridge on the Karaj northern bypass, a key highway link connecting Tehran with surrounding regions, according to local media. Several people were reported injured in the strike.

French President Emmanuel Macron has cast doubt on Trump’s appeal to take over the Strait of Hormuz, saying that the “idea of forcibly liberating the Strait of Hormuz through a military operation” is “unrealistic.”

He also suggested that military action will not resolve the nuclear issue. “You still have, and will continue to have tomorrow in Iran, people with the necessary expertise, and you still have hidden sites, etc. Therefore, a targeted military action, even lasting only a few weeks, isn’t enough to resolve the nuclear issue in the long term.”

A video circulating on social media shows what appears to be a Hezbollah drone buzzing an Israeli armored unit in southern Lebanon and hitting one of the vehicles from behind.

The UK is set to host a virtual summit on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with around 30 nations set to discuss diplomatic options.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society has released a video of first responders clearing the debris and seeking to save those trapped underneath.

Gulf countries are considering building oil and gas pipelines that bypass the Strait of Hormuz as they face the prospect of the chokepoint falling under Iranian control, the Financial Times reports.

The outlet added, however, that it “would be expensive, politically complex and take years to complete.”

Currently, only Saudi Arabia and the UAE operate a significant pipeline that bypasses the strait.

According to International Energy Agency data, the pipeline has an estimated 3.5 to 5.5 million barrels a day of available capacity, compared with the 20 million that passed through the Strait of Hormuz before the war.

The pipeline, however, has been indispensable amid the Middle East tumult. “In hindsight, the East-West pipeline looks like a genius masterstroke,” an unnamed senior Gulf energy executive told the FT.

The former US Embassy in Tehran has also been damaged in strikes, according to footage circulating on social media.

The mission was closed in 1979 following the Islamic Revolution and the hostage crisis, and was turned into the Den of Espionage Museum.

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Tehran has been damaged following US-Israeli strikes, with windows and doors smashed by blast waves, the Russian Embassy has said.

It added that the nearby Russian house hosting the elderly also sustained severe damage, although with no casualties.

Iran's army commander-in-chief, Amir Hatami, has told commanders that Tehran should be ready to repel any attack, including a potential ground invasion.

“No enemy troops should survive if adversaries attempt a ground operation,” he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin remains a “staunch supporter” of a diplomatic solution to the Middle East conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

Putin maintains contact with Middle East countries, and if “Russia’s [mediation] services are needed in any way, we’re certainly ready to contribute” to a peaceful settlement, he added.

A Hezbollah strike has reportedly damaged a McDonald’s restaurant in northern Israel.

Western media have been mostly critical of Trump’s speech, noting that it did not provide any vision for the conflict’s endgame.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Trump “can’t find anything new to say on Iran,” adding that the president “looked trapped behind his podium” and his only idea was “to fight on.”

The BBC wrote that “if you were to copy and paste [Trump’s] posts on Truth Social over the last week or so, you would not be far off this address to the nation.”

At the same time, the Washington Post reported that Trump sought to “defend… the increasingly unpopular” war, while struggling “to clear up contradictory statements about the competing objectives of the bombardment” amid rising public discontent.

The US Embassy in Iraq has issued a warning that local Iran-linked groups “may be planning attacks in central Baghdad within the next 24 to 48 hours.”

These forces “may target US citizens, businesses, universities, diplomatic facilities, energy infrastructure, hotels, airports, and other sites believed to be associated with the United States, as well as Iraqi institutions and civilian targets,” the embassy said, stressing that “US citizens should leave Iraq immediately.”

The message comes after American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped by unknown culprits in Baghdad, with US officials later reporting the arrest of an individual with ties to Iranian-aligned militia group Kataib Hezbollah.

The IDF has said it attacked an IRGC Ground Forces base as part of a “wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime across Tehran.”

Chinese ⁠Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning has reiterated calls for de-escalation in the Middle East, saying that “military means cannot fundamentally solve the problem, and the escalation of conflicts is not in the interests of either side.” 

The US may have violated international law by moving troops from bases in the Gulf to hotels and other civilian areas prior to the strikes on Iran and anticipated retaliation from Tehran, the New York Times reports, citing experts.

Unnamed US officials also told the paper that the military endorsed the move due to the lack of adequate defenses on the bases, even as the US and Israel started the attacks at a time of their own choosing.

“It is unconscionable that US forces would knowingly put civilians at risk by leaving their bases and moving to hotels in the densely populated city centers,” Brian Castner, a crisis researcher at Amnesty International, told the paper.

He added that the commanders who ordered these relocations “should be investigated for violating US laws of war.”

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has urged the parliament to adopt a $17.3 billion supplementary budget to mitigate “the worst energy security threat” caused by the Iran war.

He added that even if a peace deal is reached soon, “it will take a considerable period of time for the destroyed energy infrastructure facilities in the Middle East to be restored and supplies to run as smoothly as before.”

Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev has mocked the Western media for coming up with “new euphemisms” to describe the ongoing energy crunch.

”’Energy rationing’ instead of energy shock or energy lockdowns. ‘Energy rationing’ sounds Zen – better than ‘no oil, no gas, no fuel,’ because bureaucrats made mistakes and subservient mainstream media refused to expose these mistakes.”

Three people have been killed in an Israeli strike on the city of Kfarsir, southern Lebanon, the National News Agency reports.

Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari has warned the US and Israel against assuming that they “have destroyed [Tehran’s] strategic missile production sites” as “such assumptions will only deepen the quagmire you have fallen into.”

“Expect more crushing and devastating strikes from us in continuation of the severe blows you have already received,” he said, as quoted by Press TV. “This war will continue until you face permanent humiliation, regret, and surrender.”

An RT security source in Tehran has dismissed Trump’s claim that the Strait of Hormuz will open up “naturally” once the hostilities are over. “Conditions in the Strait of Hormuz will not return to the pre-war status quo. Currently, transit through this waterway remains operational,” the source said.

The official added that “to date, no vessel belonging to the enemy or its partners has been granted permission to pass.”

Regarding other vessels, the RT source said the Iranian authorities have established a secure route through the waterway, which remains the only viable path due to US-Israeli attacks.

Asian stock indices have mostly slid in the aftermath of Trump’s speech, which did not offer any glimpse of a future peace deal, as many regional countries rely heavily on energy imports through the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent oil prices rose slightly to $107 a barrel.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has responded to Trump’s address by calling for de-escalation, arguing that the US-Israeli attacks have already dealt a severe blow to Iran’s military and defense industry.

“It is not clear what more needs to be achieved or what the end point looks like,” he said. “What is clear is that the longer the war goes on the more significant the impact on the global economy will be.”

Former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, once one of Trump’s staunchest supporters and MAGA firebrand, expressed frustration over the president’s speech on Iran.

“I wanted so much for President Trump to put America First. That’s what I believed he would do. All I heard from his speech tonight was WAR WAR WAR. Nothing to lower the cost of living for Americans… I’m so beyond done.”

Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the US House of Representatives, has urged President Donald Trump to “end his reckless war of choice in the Middle East.”

“The American people are sick and tired of the chaos, high costs and extreme Republican agenda,” he wrote on X shortly after Trump’s televised speech.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that a “systematic and brutal pattern of illegal warfare against Iran” amounts to genocide, accusing the US and Israel of deliberately targeting more than 600 schools and education centers.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump’s “powerful speech” outlined the war’s goals as the destruction of Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities.

Trump said the US would carry out “extremely hard” airstrikes in Iran over the next two to three weeks, adding that Washington would destroy Iran’s power plants and oil facilities unless his demands are met.

US President Donald Trump urged countries that rely on oil from the Middle East to secure the Strait of Hormuz by force. “Go to the strait and just take it, protect it. The hard part is done. It should be easy,” he said.

Trump said the US would help unblock the waterway, but that other nations should “take the lead.”

Trump blamed the spike in gas prices on Iran’s attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, arguing this was proof that Tehran could not be trusted. He described the attacks as a form of extortion.

Iran has “rejected every attempt at agreement,” Trump claimed, accusing Tehran of seeking to rebuild its nuclear program after the 12-day war in 2025. He also said Iran was developing a “vast stockpile” of missiles, including those capable of reaching the US and Europe.

Trump reiterated his goal of preventing Iran from developing a “nuclear shield,” while defending his decision to tear up the “terrible” 2015 nuclear deal signed by his predecessor, former President Barack Obama.

US President Donald Trump began his address to the nation on Wednesday by claiming that Iran’s military had been “decimated” and its drone and missile capabilities “dramatically curtailed.”

Iran has struck Bnei Brak, a city near Tel Aviv in Israel.

The Israeli military said Iran had fired a missile carrying cluster munitions at central Israel.

01 April 2026

Iranian strikes in the Gulf states continued on Thursday, with explosions reported in Bahrain.

A video posted on social media appears to show a ballistic missile striking what is said to be a US naval site.

The Pentagon presented a plan to US President Donald Trump last week to send commandos to recover nearly 1,000 pounds of Iran’s enriched uranium, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the matter. The proposed plan reportedly involved flying in excavation equipment and building a runway for cargo planes.

Trump had been briefed on the “significant operational risks” of the raid, the Post said.

Trump will deliver a primetime Oval Office address on Wednesday night to announce that the month-long war in Iran is coming to an end, set against a backdrop of rising oil prices and worsening poll numbers, Politico has said, citing sources.

The president reportedly plans to blame NATO allies for the most significant unresolved issue of the war: Iran's continued restrictions on shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Reports indicate that massive explosions have occurred at an artillery ammunition depot near Isfahan, Iran, following suspected US-Israeli strikes, with large secondary blasts observed.

The reports suggest that the site houses substantial artillery and military units.

A post by ADNOC, the UAE’s state-owned oil giant, highlights the Strait of Hormuz’s outsized role in global supply chains, noting the 33-km-wide waterway carries major volumes of oil, LNG and fertilizers, including about 20% of global LNG.

Any disruption to flows through the chokepoint can ripple across energy markets and prices worldwide – “when it is disrupted, everyone pays,” the post says.

The White House is promoting Trump’s upcoming address on the Iran war, insisting Washington has had “clear objectives since day one.” In a post on X, it framed the campaign as focused on dismantling Iran’s military capabilities and preventing it from obtaining nuclear weapons.

The IMF has warned that the Middle East war is impacting global economies through higher energy prices, disrupted supply chains and financial market volatility.

Data shared by the fund shows tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has plunged since late February, illustrating disruption to a key route that handles a significant share of global oil trade.

Trump has told Reuters he doesn’t care about enriched uranium in Iran that could potentially be used to build nuclear weapons. In the same interview, however, he claimed that one of his primary goals of the war was to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

Moreover, the objective of preventing a nuclear weapon has been achieved, Trump told Reuters on Wednesday.

According to media reports, Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium that could potentially be used to build nuclear weapons is believed to be buried under the rubble of a mountain facility that was hit during strikes last June. Trump previously said the US would move to take the uranium if it reaches a deal with Iran.

But he said Wednesday that the uranium is “so far ⁠underground, I don’t care about that.”

“We’ll always be watching it by satellite,” he added.

The US State Department is offering a reward of up to $3 million for information on attacks targeting its diplomatic facilities in Iraq, according to its Rewards for Justice program.

In a post on X, the initiative called for tips on Iranian-aligned militia groups behind attacks in Iraq, which have intensified since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Political scientist Aaron Good has dismissed Trump’s threats to “obliterate” Iran’s infrastructure as “bluster and bravado,” arguing Washington lacks any viable military option. 

Speaking to RT, he warned such strikes could backfire, saying destroying Iran’s oil sector “would just drive up the price of oil,” while Tehran retains the capacity to retaliate across the region.

RT has obtained a copy of an open letter by Pezeshkian addressed to the American people, in which he insists that Tehran “never initiated a war” in modern history and frames its military posture as “legitimate self-defense.” 

In the letter, Pezeshkian questions the rationale behind US military action, accusing Washington of fueling conflict and “manufacturing” threats, while warning that continued strikes risk long-term instability and damage to America’s global standing.

RT team reminds you that Western countries have imposed more than 110 sanctions on us, freezing accounts, surveilling staff, and introducing other restrictions. If you don't see this publication containing the letter, then EU/the US sanctions is the case. 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will soon release an open letter addressing the American people, his spokesman Mehdi Tabatabai has stated on X.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that Tehran wants a ceasefire, which Iran’s Foreign Ministry has dismissed as “false.”

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said Washington’s investment in NATO is aimed at advancing American global interests. In a post on X, Pompeo described NATO as a “key instrument” in securing US superpower status, while adding that allies should still be expected to “pull their weight.”

Former Miss California and conservative activist Carrie Prejean Boller has told RT’s Sanchez Effect that she was asked to resign from a US religious freedom body after speaking out on Gaza, arguing that criticism of Israel should not be equated with anti-Semitism and warning that “loyalty to a particular theology” must not define acceptable speech.  

She also criticized President Donald Trump, saying she no longer recognizes him and accused him of breaking promises to keep the US out of foreign wars. Americans are now seeing “boots on the ground” despite earlier pledges, she claimed.

In a separate post, Dmitriev wrote that Germany has “destroyed itself” by decoupling from Russian energy, pointing to weakening growth forecasts cited by market analysts.  

Germany’s industrial sector has struggled in recent years, with the EU’s decision to phase out Russian energy following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 weighing heavily on long-term competitiveness. The pressure intensified after the US-Israeli attack on Iran sent global energy prices soaring.

Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev has listed European countries he says are “most exposed” to a Gulf energy shock, citing their reliance on imports and supply vulnerabilities. In a post on X, Dmitriev named Italy, the UK, Germany, Poland, Belgium, and Romania, pointing to factors such as declining domestic output, high demand, and transit risks.

Finnish political adviser Olli Kotro has warned that NATO could “fall apart” if the US leaves, describing the military alliance as already in decline. Speaking to RT, he said divisions over the Iran war show US and EU interests “don’t align at all,” calling the situation “the beginning of the end” for the bloc.

President Donald Trump has signaled he is seriously considering withdrawing the US from NATO, telling the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday the option is “beyond reconsideration.”