Israel-US-Iran War LIVE: Russia Evacuates Staff From Bushehr Nuclear Plant, Trump Reminds Iran Of 48-Hour Deadline

US-Iran War LIVE: As the war against Iran escalated, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Qasem Soleimani's niece, Afshar, has been taken into ICE custody and would be deported. Taking to X, he said, "Until recently, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were green card holders living in lavishly in the United States.  Afshar is the niece of deceased Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani. She is also an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime who celebrated attacks on Americans and referred to our country as the "Great Satan."  This week, I terminated both Afshar and her daughter's legal status and they are now in ICE custody, pending removal from the United States..."

A US-Israeli strike on Saturday hit a cement plant in southern Iran, Tasnim news agency reported quoting Ahmad Nafisi, the deputy governor of the southern Hormozgan province.

A vessel owned by French logistics giant, CMA CGM, has become the first Western European ship to cross the Strait of Hormuz since Iran's maritime blockage due to the ongoing West Asia conflict, EuroNews reported.

Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that the Bandar Imam petrochemical complex in the southern Khuzestan region was hit by an air strike.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Saturday said that it has been informed by Iran about
a projectile striking close to the premises of the Bushehr nuclear power plant.

Iraq has closed Southern Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran after airstrikes on Iranian side killed an Iraqi traveller.

Indian refiners have purchased Iranian oil amid the Middle East conflict that has disrupted supplies through ‌the Strait of Hormuz, the oil ministry ⁠said on Saturday.

The Oil Ministry wrote on X, "Amid Middle East supply ⁠disruptions, Indian refiners have secured their crude oil requirements, including from Iran; and there is no payment hurdle for Iranian crude imports."

Iran has reported no damage after a projectile hit near Bushehr nuclear power plant perimeter on Saturday. Tasnim News Agency stated that the production remains unaffected.

Iran's Tasnim new agency reported that a projectile hit near Bushehr nuclear power plant perimeter, killing one person on Saturday.

The UN Security Council is now expected to vote next week on a Bahraini resolution to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported citing diplomats.

According to Fars News agency, several explosions were heard at Mahshahr Special Petrochemical zone in southwestern Iran's Khuzestan province.

Pakistan on Saturday rejected media reports that its initiative to facilitate talks between the US and Iran to end the ongoing conflict in West Asia had hit obstacles after initial exchange of peace proposals.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi in a statement rejected the media reports as "baseless" and a "figment of imagination".
"We have noted several reports in the media, including on social media, citing so-called official government sources regarding the ongoing conflict in the region and Pakistan's efforts to promote peace and dialogue," he said. 
(PTI Inputs)

According to Fars News Agency, IRGC reported that its “advanced modern” air defense systems successfully shot down a US MQ-1 drone over Isfahan province.

The Israeli military has issued a statement, claiming attack over military sites in Tehran on Friday.

It said its airforce struck “regime aerial defense sites, including an IRGC aerial defense site where missiles intended to target aircraft were stored”.

Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, will arrive in Doha today after visiting Saudi Arabia to express “solidarity and friendship” amid ongoing conflict, the Italian embassy in Doha stated.

Iran executed on Saturday two ‌men it says were convicted of links to ⁠an opposition group, the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran, and of carrying out ‌armed ⁠attacks, domestic media reported.

At least one person has died in a missile attack launched by Israel in residential areas of Tehran, Mehr News agency reported on Saturday.

The Iranian State Media, Press TV, on Saturday released unverified pictures of a US CH-47 helicopter in Kuwait, which, according to the media, was targeted by Iran. There has been no immediate confirmation from the US administration in this regard.

(With ANI Inputs)

The Saudi Civil Defence on Saturday issued an alert to residents of its Eastern province, warning ofa potential danger. The alert was lifted later, Al Jazeera reported.

Loud Explosions were heard in Tehran on Saturday, Al Jazeera reported.

The Islamic Resistance, an umbrella body of Iran-backed militia, has carried out 19 drone and missile attacks targeting the United States' bases in Iraq and in the region on Friday, Al Jazeera reported.

An Iranian missile attack has caused damage across residential areas in central Israel, Israeli media reported on Saturday.

Authorities in Dubai said that there has been another incident involving falling debris in Dubai Internet City. Dubai Media Office posted on X, "Authorities confirm that they responded to a minor incident caused by debris from an aerial interception that fell on the facade of the Oracle building in Dubai Internet City."

Amidst the ongoing maritime blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to hostile vessels, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf has suggested that Tehran could further escalate pressure on its adversaries by targeting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. In a post on X, he wrote, "What share of global oil, LNG, wheat, rice, and fertilizer shipments transits the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait? Which countries and companies account for the highest transit volumes through the strait?"

What share of global oil, LNG, wheat, rice, and fertilizer shipments transits the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait?

Which countries and companies account for the highest transit volumes through the strait? 🤔

— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 3, 2026

The Bahraini Ministry of Interior on Saturday stated that sirens were activated in the country, urging citizens to remain to take shelter.

Syrian State Tv on Saturday said that explosions were heard across Damascus and its countryside as a result of israeli air defences intercepting iranian missiles.

The Israeli military on Saturday said that it had begun carrying out strikes on infrastructure linked to Hezbollah in Beirut, Lebanon.

The White House is seeking approximately USD 1.5 trillion for defence as part of a fiscal 2027 budget request amid ongoing war with Iran, CNN reported on Saturday.

The central headquarters of the Iranian armed forces has issued a stark warning to the US and its regional partners following recent threats made by President Donald Trump, state broadcaster Press TV reported.

Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, released a statement early on Saturday threatening devastating strikes against American and Israeli assets. The warning specifically extended to the infrastructure of nations that continue to host US military bases, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions.

(With ANI inputs)

Iran has claimed it targeted multiple US aircraft, including an F-15 fighter jet, an A-10 attack plane, and Black Hawk helicopters involved in rescue operations. According to reports, two US pilots were successfully rescued, while one remains missing.

Iran has claimed that it shot down two US warplanes, marking a sharp escalation in tensions with the United States. According to Iranian officials, one aircraft was brought down in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, while another crashed in the Gulf region.

The WHO has warned about “multiple attacks on health” in Iran in recent days following an air strike on the Pasteur Institute in Tehran.

“Multiple attacks on health have been reported in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in recent days amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X. He said the Pasteur Institute “sustained significant damage and was rendered unable to continue delivering health services” – one of 20 facilities the WHO has confirmed as being targeted.

Iran’s ISNA news agency, however, reported that the “services of the Pasteur Institute of Iran have not been interrupted by these attacks,” adding that vaccine and serum production would continue.

One Egyptian citizen was killed, and four others sustained minor injuries after debris from an intercepted attack fell on the Habshan gas facilities in Abu Dhabi on Friday, the Abu Dhabi Media Office reported.

The Egyptian victim died during the evacuation of the site, while the four injured included two Egyptians and two Pakistanis, the office added.

“Significant damage has occurred at the facilities, and a full assessment is currently underway,” the statement said.

Iran has formally informed mediators that it will not meet US officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, in the coming days and has rejected Washington’s demands as unacceptable, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

Iran’s  recreational area in Tabriz has reportedly been hit by an air attack, Reuters reported, citing Iran’s Nournews.

One US crew member has been rescued after an American warplane was shot down over Iran on Friday, Israeli and US media reported, as the conflict appeared set to intensify with US President Donald Trump threatening further strikes on civilian infrastructure.

Two US sources told Reuters the aircraft was a two‑seat F‑15E, and a search was underway for the other crew member. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that Turkey is maintaining contacts with all parties to prevent the Iran war from spiralling further out of control, the Turkish presidency says.

The US and Israeli forces on Friday struck Iran's Gulf port of Charak, killing at least one person and injuring others, Reuters reported, citing Tasnim news agency. The strikes damaged the passenger terminal at the port and destroyed civilian infrastructure.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni travelled to Saudi Arabia on Friday for a previously unannounced visit, Reuters reported, citing government sources. The trip will also include meetings in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

According to MarineTraffic and Kpler data, a total of 220 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz in March, with liquid tankers leading the crossings with 111 voyages, accounting for 51 per cent of the total, followed by 82 dry bulk vessels (37 per cent) and 27 LPG carriers (12 per cent).

Shahid Beheshti University in northern Iran and the Mehrabad Airport area in the west of Tehran were struck by US-Israeli strikes on Friday, Reuters reported, citing Iranian state media. 

Three tankers, apparently broadcasting Omani ownership, appeared to evade Iran's chokehold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz by taking a different, southern route along Oman's coastline rather than the northerly path through Iranian waters.

According to Iranian news agency Tasnim, a US pilot may be in the custody of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) after ejecting from an F-35 fighter jet, which it claimed was struck by the IRGC Aerospace Force.

At least 12 people, including five individuals of Indian nationality and seven individuals of Nepali nationality, were injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday by the falling of debris from Iranian missiles, intercepted by the air defence system of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to authorities.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Abu Dhabi Media Office said, "As part of the ongoing follow-up to the previously reported incident in the Ajban area caused by falling debris following the successful interception by air defence systems, authorities confirm that the incident has resulted in minor to moderate injuries sustained by 6 individuals of Nepali nationality and 5 individuals of Indian nationality, and one major injury sustained by an individual of Nepali nationality," the post read.

The war involving the United States, Israel and Iran has now entered its second month, with no clear signs of de-escalation. The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran, targeting key military sites and leadership positions. In retaliation, Iran launched missile and drone attacks across West Asia, striking US bases, Israel, and energy infrastructure in Gulf states.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday spoke with Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah. During the call, Starmer condemned the overnight drone attack on Kuwait, news agency Reuters reported, citing a Downing Street spokesperson as saying.

A ship claiming to have a French owner passed through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Marine Traffic data analysed by AFP on Friday. If confirmed, this could mark the first known transit by a major European shipping group since March 1.

The Israeli military on Friday said that it detected a new missile salvo from Iran and activated air defences to down them, news agency AFP reported. While there were no immediate reports of casualties, some damage to houses and cars was reported. 

A container ship operated by French shipping company CMA CGM has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reported citing ship‑tracking data.

A drone strike hit a Red Crescent relief warehouse in Iran’s Bushehr province early Friday morning, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday challenged US President Donald Trump, questioning whether his policies aimed to push Iran “back to the Stone Age.” He wrote on X, "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?"

Debris from an intercepted projectile caused a fire at the Habshan gas facility in the UAE on Friday, prompting authorities to suspend operations, the Abu Dhabi media office confirmed.

World food prices increased in March, driven mainly by higher energy costs linked to the escalating war in the Middle East, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reported on Friday. The FAO Food Price Index, averaged 128.5 points in March, marking a 2.4 per cent rise from February’s revised level, the report stated.

According to CNN sources familiar with the matter, weeks of sustained US-Israeli strikes over the past month have not fully neutralised Iran’s missile arsenal, indicating that the Islamic Republic remains capable of significant retaliatory action.

Kuwait said an Iranian attack struck a power and water desalination plant on Friday, causing material damage to parts of the facility. The Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said emergency and technical teams were responding to secure the site.

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he is “outraged” by US President Donald Trump’s aggression and insults, but remains proud of Iran’s armed forces and people. He stressed that the war must end on terms that protect Iran’s national interests.

The Philippines said Iran has assured safe passage of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, offering relief amid ongoing tensions in the region. According to AFP, the assurance came after a “productive” phone call between Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro and her Iranian counterpart.

The Israeli military says it has identified a new wave of missiles launched from Iran towards Israeli territory. The air defence systems are intercepting the incoming missiles.

Thailand’s Precious Shipping reported on Friday that human remains were discovered on the MV Mayuree Naree, a vessel that was attacked last month in the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing Middle East tensions. (With Reuters inputs)

The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the country’s air defence systems are actively responding to incoming missile and drone threats launched from Iran.

Iran fired on multiple targets across the Middle East, triggering several fires at Kuwait’s Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery, while US and Israeli airstrikes struck Tehran early Friday.

Iran on Friday cautioned the UN Security Council against taking any “provocative action” ahead of a vote on a draft resolution to establish a force to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that such actions by aggressors or their supporters would only make the situation more complicated, stressing the need for restraint in the sensitive Gulf region. (ANI)

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence reported on X that the country has intercepted five drones since Thursday, with one drone destroyed overnight. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty that the ongoing crisis in the Middle East is a “shared concern” between their countries. He emphasised that Moscow is prepared to make “every effort to help stabilise” the Gulf region

Satellite imagery accessed by Reuters has revealed damage to port infrastructure on Iran’s Qeshm Island following US‑Israeli strikes earlier this week amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that a second US F‑35 fighter jet was shot down over central Iran. Iranian state media reported the incident, suggesting that Iran’s air defences successfully targeted the aircraft.

According to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, several prominent bridges in Gulf nations and Jordan could be potential targets after two attacks hit Iran’s tallest B1 bridge on Thursday.

The list includes Kuwait’s Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Sea Bridge; the Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Al Maqta Bridge, and Sheikh Khalifa Bridge in the UAE; the King Fahd Causeway connecting Saudi Arabia to Bahrain; and Jordan’s King Hussein Bridge, Damia Bridge, and Abdoun Bridge, Anadolu reported.

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation reported that its Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery was struck by drones early on Friday, causing fires at some operating units.

The UN Security Council’s vote on a proposal to ensure the safety of ships in the Strait of Hormuz has been postponed from Friday to Saturday, according to media reports.

Israel’s Home Front Command has issued alerts about rocket and missile fire in the northern Upper Galilee region, including the areas of Malkiya, Kiryat Shmona, Tel Hai, and Metula. 

Air raid sirens blared across Tel Aviv as residents were warned of an incoming strike targeting Israel, Reuters reported.

Israel’s military on Friday said its air defences are responding to and intercepting missiles fired from Iran toward Israeli territory.

Israel’s offshore Leviathan gas field, operated by Chevron, will restart operations after a month-long closure, the Israeli Energy Ministry said on Thursday.

The Dubai Media Office on Friday rejected claims that Iran attacked a data center belonging to US tech firm Oracle in Dubai.

US President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Iran, saying the American military, “greatest and most powerful (by far!) anywhere in the world,” has not yet begun destroying what remains of Iran’s infrastructure.

At least eight civilians were killed and 95 others injured after US‑Israeli strikes hit the B1 Bridge in Karaj, Iran, Iranian state media Press TV reported. The attack caused significant damage to the surrounding area.