US–Israel war on Iran, day 36: Trump gives Iran 48 hours to open Strait of Hormuz as US hunts for airman

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Iran's central military command rejected US President Donald Trump's threat to destroy the country's vital infrastructure if it does not accept a peace deal within 48 hours.

General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, in a statement from the Khatam Al Anbiya Central Headquarters, said Trump's threat was a "a helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid action".

And, echoing the religious language of Trump's social media post, he warned that "the simple meaning of this message is that the gates of hell will open for you".

Iranian media quoted two daughters of slain former Iranian covert operations chief Qassem Soleimani denying that two Iranian women arrested in the United States were their relatives.

Earlier, the US State Department had announced that a niece and a grand-niece of Soleimani had been arrested and stripped of their US residency. The statement identified the niece as Hamideh Soleimani Afshar. Her daughter was not named.

But, according to the Iranian news agency Fars, Soleimani's daughter Zeinab said: "The US State Department's claim is a lie: the people arrested in the United States have no connection to the family."

Iranian state TV cited another daughter, Narjes, a member of Tehran's Islamic City Council, as saying: "To this day, no member of the family nor any relative of Martyr Soleimani has resided in the United States."

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for an attack targeting Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, along with “vital” military sites in southern Israel.

In a statement carried by the Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah, the group said the strike involved a cluster missile and multiple drones.

Israel ‌is preparing to attack Iranian ‌energy facilities but ​is awaiting a green ​light from ‌the US, a ​senior Israeli defence official said on Saturday, ​adding ⁠that any ⁠such attacks would likely ‌come within the next week.

The comments ‌came after Donald Trump issued ⁠a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, negotiate with Washington, or face "hell."

As the clock ticks closer to the US president’s Monday deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the White House says Trump is firmly at work.

“There has never been a President who has worked harder for the American people than President Trump,” Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, posted on X. “On this Easter weekend, he has been working nonstop in the White House and Oval Office. God Bless him.”

The president often travels to his Palm Beach, Florida, club on the weekends, but he’s staying in Washington for the Easter weekend. Since he delivered his prime-time address on Iran on Wednesday night, the president has held a series of closed-press meetings at the White House.

The Israeli military said it would strike an area near the crossing between Syria and Lebanon, urging residents to evacuate immediately.

"Due to Hezbollah's use of the Masnaa Crossing for military purposes and smuggling of combat equipment, the IDF intends to carry out strikes on the crossing in the near future," the military's Arabic-Language spokesman, Colonel Avichay Adraee, wrote on X.

"For your safety, we urge everyone near the crossing and anyone in the area marked in red on the map to evacuate immediately," he added, sharing the marked map on X.

An Iranian official said five people were killed after US-Israeli strikes on Saturday that targeted a petrochemical hub in the southwest of the country, according to ISNA news agency.

"Five people were martyred following the American-Zionist enemy attack on some companies located in the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Economic Zone," ISNA said, citing the deputy governor of Khuzestan province, Valiollah Hayati.

The Israeli military said that earlier its air force struck a petrochemical complex in Mahshahr, in southwestern Iran. It alleged the complex was “responsible for producing and exporting chemical materials to the regime’s armed forces” and that the targeted facilities were “used to produce materials for explosives, ballistic missile, and additional weaponry.”

“After we destroyed 70% of its ability to create steel, which is used as the raw material for the weapons used against us, today we attacked their petrochemical factories,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement posted on his X account.

“I promised you that we will continue to crush the terrorist regime in Tehran, and that is exactly what we are doing,” Netanyahu said.

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, on Saturday expressed "deep concern" over the strike near Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, while confirming that no increase in radiation levels has been detected.

In a statement shared on X, the UN's Nuclear Energy watchdog said that it had been informed by Iran that a projectile struck close to the plant's premises earlier in the day, marking the fourth such incident in recent weeks amid escalating West Asia conflict.

According to the agency, one member of the site's physical protection staff was killed due to projectile fragments, and a building within the facility sustained damage from shockwaves and debris.

"The IAEA has been informed by Iran that a projectile struck close to the premises of the Bushehr NPP this morning, the fourth such incident in recent weeks. Iran also informed the IAEA that one of the site's physical protection staff members was killed by a projectile fragment and that a building on site was affected by shockwaves and fragments. No increase in radiation levels was reported," the statement read.

The attack triggered sirens across the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The Houthis in Yemen have launched several missiles on Israel since joining the war last week in support of Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel has carried out attacks on Iran’s petrochemical factories, which he described as a key source of revenue for the Iranian government.

In a video message posted on his X account, Netanyahu said the strikes followed earlier attacks on Iran’s steel facilities, claiming that Israel has destroyed 70 percent of Iran’s steel production capacity.

“We will continue to hit them, as I promised,” he added.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy (Kuwait) announced that a main transformer station in the Al Jahra Governorate has gone out of service, leading to a power outage in limited parts of the area.

According to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the disruption affected several neighbourhoods in Al Jahra after the station stopped operating.

The ministry said emergency teams were immediately dispatched to the site and that restoration work is currently underway to bring electricity back as quickly as possible.

Authorities also thanked residents for their understanding and cooperation while technical teams work to resolve the issue.

The Trump administration has revoked the green cards or U.S. visas of at least four Iranian nationals connected to the current or former Iranian government, including two who’ve been detained by immigration authorities and are to be deported.

The latest actions were taken just this week when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined they were no longer eligible for either lawful permanent resident status, or to enter the United States. The steps follow a move late last year in which the visas of several diplomats and staffers at Iran’s mission to the United Nations were also revoked.

In a statement Saturday, the State Department said the niece and grand-niece of former Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike near the Baghdad airport in 2020, had been arrested late Friday by immigration agents after Rubio revoked their green cards.

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Iran will allow Iraqi shipping to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, despite its broader blockade of the key sea lane at the mouth of the Gulf, its military command said Saturday.

"We announce that our brotherly country of Iraq is exempt from any restrictions we have imposed on the Strait of Hormuz, and these restrictions only apply to enemy countries," spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari told state television.

Israeli emergency services said its crew treated five people who were injured Saturday in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas after Iran fired several rounds of missiles toward Israel.

Since midnight, seven waves of Iranian missiles have been launched towards Israel, according to the Israeli military.

Israel's Magen David Adom emergency services said a 45-year-old man was treated for minor injuries from glass shrapnel in the central city of Bnei Brak and taken to hospital.

As the day progressed, rescue teams said they had treated three additional casualties - two men in their 20s hit by glass fragments and one injured by blast.

A 52-year-old man "lightly injured by the blast wave" was also transferred to a hospital in Ramat Gan, in central Israel, the emergency service said.

In a residential neighbourhood of Ramat Gan, AFP images showed the top floor of a house completely blown out, exposing its gutted interior, with a crushed bookcase and an exercise bike amid the debris.

The military said its air defences were working to down missiles fired from Iran, each a time it announced incoming projectiles.

Several loud explosions were heard over Jerusalem on Saturday after the Israeli military warned it had detected missiles inbound from Iran.

AFP journalists heard at least six blasts, more than a month into a conflict that was triggered by Israel and the United States striking Tehran.

Earlier in the day five Israelis were wounded in missile attacks on Tel Aviv and parts of central Israel, according to the rescue services.

US federal agents have arrested the niece and grand‑niece of the late Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, the US State Department said on Saturday.

Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter were taken into custody by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked their lawful permanent resident (green card) status, according to an official statement.

The State Department said the arrests followed the termination of their residency, and both women are currently in ICE custody as part of the action.

In its statement, the department noted that Soleimani Afshar has been an outspoken supporter of the Iranian regime, citing her social media commentary and press reports identifying her as a vocal backer of Iran’s leadership.

Afshar’s husband is also banned from entering the United States, the statement added.

The move underscores Washington’s continued scrutiny of individuals linked to figures associated with Iran’s military and reflects broader tensions between the United States and Tehran. ▶ Read more

Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy has affirmed that the country’s electricity and water systems remain stable and fully under control, despite recent attacks linked to the conflict with Iran, state news agency Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

In a statement carried by KUNA, the ministry’s spokesperson, Engineer Fatima Hayat, said that an Iranian strike on one of Kuwait’s power and water desalination plants caused material damage to parts of the facility on Friday, but technical and emergency teams were immediately deployed under contingency plans to secure the site and maintain operations.

Despite the damage, national infrastructure has continued to function normally, and authorities have stressed that essential services are being delivered without disruption.

Iran’s parliament speaker has made a veiled threat against another crucial waterway in the Middle East. The Bab el-Mandeb strait is at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula and sees about a quarter of global container shipping traffic to and from the Suez Canal.

But concerns have emerged around the Bab el-Mandeb with the recent entry into the war of Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Houthis previously targeted more than 100 merchant vessels on the Red Sea — between the Bab el-Mandeb and the Suez Canal — because of the war in Gaza. Those attacks stopped after US and Israeli airstrikes.

Now the Houthis, and perhaps Iran itself, could resume attacks. The Houthis have said they won’t allow the US and Israel to use the Red Sea for attacks on Iran.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said Iran had 48 hours left to make a deal on opening the vital Strait of Hormuz or face "Hell."

"Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT," Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to his ultimatum issued on March 26.

"Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign (sic) down on them," the president said, adding: "Glory be to GOD!"

The president made his comment as he remained at the White House on Saturday morning. The Trump administration hasn’t made an official comment on the US fighter jet shot down in Iran.

In another post, after focusing on the gains tariffs have brought to the US economy, he signed off with: “All of this and, simultaneously, getting rid of a Nuclear Iran. MAGA!!!”

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the devastating impact of the Iran war during its first weeks.

Hanan Balkhy, WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, described the fighting as one of the most “far-reaching crises” in recent decades, with consequences including:

• 3,300+ deaths

• 30,000+ reported injuries

• 4.3 million+ people displaced

• 116 verified attacks on healthcare facilities

Balkhy shared the figures during a media briefing, emphasising the urgent humanitarian and medical needs arising from the ongoing conflict.

Israel, which is simultaneously going after the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah in Lebanon, issued an "urgent warning" for residents in parts of the Lebanese city of Tyre and nearby areas to evacuate.

Earlier, Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli airstrikes in Tyre that wounded 11 people damaged several buildings, including a major hospital.

The sale comes after the Trump administration eased sanctions on Iran’s oil.

“Indian refiners have secured their crude oil requirements, including from Iran; and there is no payment hurdle for Iranian crude imports,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

Last month, the US paused sanctions on Iranian oil stranded on tankers at sea until April 19. The move was part of Washington’s efforts to curb soaring energy prices as a result of the war in the Middle East.

As sirens rang out again in large parts of Israel on Saturday afternoon, the country’s Fire and Rescue services said their teams were treating impact sites from an earlier attack in Ramat Gan, Givataim, Bnei Brak, and Petah Tikvah. All are cities in central Israel that have already sustained damage in previous Iranian attacks.

Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said a 52 year-old man was taken to hospital with light injuries.

Images released by rescue services show an apartment building with blown out walls and windows. Mangled metal, bricks and debris were strewn across the scene. At another site, a tall plume of black smoke rose from a burning car that was hit by fragments of a missile or an interceptor. Lior Paz, a paramedic, said he arrived at the scene within minutes “and saw destruction, fire, shattered glass on the floor and a lot of smoke.”

Russia started a planned evacuation of 198 workers from Iran's Bushehr atomic plant shortly after a US-Israeli projectile hit near the facility, Russian state media said on Saturday.

"As planned, we began the main phase of the evacuation today. About 20 minutes after that ill-fated strike, buses set off from Bushehr station towards the Iranian-Armenian border. 198 people, to be precise - this is the largest evacuation," Russia's nuclear agency Rosatom head Alexey Likhachev was quoted as saying by TASS news agency.

Iran’s Khatam Al Anbiya joint military command said on Friday that it employed a new air defence system to bring down a US fighter jet.

A spokesperson for the command stated that Iran would “definitely achieve full control” over its airspace, according to state media reports.

The remains of three Indonesian United Nations peacekeepers, who were killed while on escort duty supporting UN operations in southern Lebanon, arrived in Jakarta on Saturday evening, where President Prabowo Subianto led a solemn welcome ceremony.

The caskets were received at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport’s VIP terminal, draped in Indonesia’s red-and-white national flag, as military honor guards stood at attention.

Devastated families leaned against the caskets. Wives rested their foreheads on the flags covering the caskets, their sobs breaking the silence of the military honors.

Prabowo, accompanied by senior government officials and top military commanders, bowed his head and observed a moment of silence. He offered condolences to the families before the caskets were returned to their hometowns for official military funerals.

 The National Communication Centre (NCC) has confirmed that Bahrain Defence Force air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 8 drones in the past 24 hours, according to the latest updates from the BDF General Command.

The total number of missiles and drones intercepted and destroyed since the beginning of Iran's hostile aggression against the Kingdom now stands at 188 missiles and 453 drones.

His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and Prime Minister of the Italian Republic, Giorgia Meloni, discussed regional and international developments during a meeting on Saturday at Lusail Palace.

Both sides stressed the need to de-escalate tensions and prioritize political dialogue and diplomatic solutions as the most effective way to contain the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and its impact on energy and supply chains, and to safeguard regional energy security.

According to Qatar News Agency (QNA), they also discussed bilateral cooperation relations and explored ways to enhance and develop them across various sectors, particularly in the economy and energy

Iran has announced it will permit vessels carrying “essential goods” to pass through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, according to the state-run Tasnim news agency.

Details remain unclear on which items qualify as “essential” and whether ships from nations Tehran considers hostile will be allowed safe passage.

A document from Iran’s ports and maritime organisation specifies the directive. Houman Fathi, deputy for commercial development, said:

The order applies to vessels heading to Iranian ports or already operating in the region, Tasnim reported.

Iranian authorities also noted that a list of ships prepared to transit the waterway will be sent for coordination, signalling controlled but eased movement through one of the world’s busiest maritime chokepoints.

US-Israeli strikes have hit more than 30 universities across Iran since the war broke out in late February, Iran's science minister said on Saturday.

"To date, more than 30 universities have been directly targeted," Hossein Simai Sarraf told reporters during a visit to the Shahid Beheshti University in northern Tehran, which was struck on Friday.

A sub-unit of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Kohgiluyeh and Boyerahmad province, along with the provincial governor, have denied reports that a second US crew member has been arrested, BBC reported.

Separately, the governor rejected claims that the first pilot was rescued by US forces, calling the report an “enemy tactic.”

State-affiliated Iranian media have urged citizens to capture the pilot alive, offering financial incentives. In one widely circulated example, Iranian outlets reported a reward of approximately £50,000 ($66,100).

Authorities’ messaging reflects heightened tensions and the use of local networks to involve civilians amid ongoing military and political escalation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media on Saturday that radioactive fallout from further attacks on the Bushehr nuclear power plant would have disastrous repercussions in regional capitals, not Tehran.

Araghchi accused Western governments of remaining silent regarding repeated attacks on the Bushehr plant, located some 465 miles (750 kilometers south of Iran’ capital.

The facility uses low-enriched uranium from Russia, along with Russian technicians, to supply about 1,000 megawatts of power for Iran.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday they targeted an Israel-linked ship in the Gulf in a drone attack, setting it on fire.

On their Sepah News website, the Guards said they targeted a commercial vessel, the MSC Ishyka, "owned by the Israeli regime and flying the flag of a third country" at the Khalifa Bin Salman port in Bahrain.

The Guards naval forces had earlier said in a post on X that the ship was attacked "in the Strait of Hormuz".

"A drone struck the vessel ... linked to the Zionist regime in the Strait of Hormuz; the ship caught fire," they said.

The MarineTraffic website said the Liberian-flagged ship was still moored at the port in Bahrain on Friday night.

The recent attacks on the UAE resulted in the martyrdom of two UAE Armed Forces personnel while performing their national duty. A Moroccan civilian contracted by the Armed Forces was also killed.

In addition, 10 civilians of various nationalities — including Pakistani, Nepali, Bangladeshi, Palestinian, Indian and Egyptian — lost their lives.

A total of 217 people were injured, with injuries ranging from minor to severe.

Those injured include nationals from the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia, Sweden, Tunisia, Morocco and Russia.

UAE ready to confront any threats

The Ministry of Defence said the armed forces remain on high alert and fully prepared to deal with any threats. Authorities affirmed that the UAE will firmly confront any actions aimed at undermining the country’s security, ensuring the protection of sovereignty, stability and national interests.

The UAE’s air defence systems engaged 23 ballistic missiles and 56 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran on Saturday, the Ministry of Defence said.

The latest interceptions come amid continuing regional escalation, with Emirati defence forces maintaining heightened readiness to counter incoming aerial threats.

Nearly 500 ballistic missiles intercepted since attacks began

Since the start of what officials described as blatant Iranian attacks, UAE air defences have intercepted a significant number of missiles and drones targeting the country.

• Ballistic missiles intercepted: 498

• Cruise missiles intercepted: 23

• Drones intercepted: 2,141

Authorities said the operations demonstrate the effectiveness of the country’s layered air defence systems in protecting national airspace and critical infrastructure.

Omar al-Waeli, head of Iraq’s Border Ports Authority, said on Saturday that the strike on the Shalamcheh border crossing killed one person and wounded five others.

Authorities did not offer further details on the strike.

The Iraqi government said it was directing traders and travelers to alternative crossings.

A US-Israeli strike on Saturday hit a cement plant in southern Iran, media reported, adding that operations were not interrupted.

"The American-Zionist attack against the cement plant of Bandar Khamir did not leave any casualties," said Tasnim news agency, quoting Ahmad Nafisi, the deputy governor of the southern Hormozgan province.

He added that operations at the plant have "continued as normal".

An Indian-flagged tanker carrying LPG has safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz, India's government said on Saturday.

Following US-Israel military strikes, Iran has effectively halted maritime traffic in the key waterway which is a critical route for global crude oil and gas.

But New Delhi, which is the world's second-largest buyer of liquefied petroleum gas, has managed to secure passage for several Indian-flagged vessels over the last three weeks.

On Saturday, the shipping ministry confirmed that LPG carrier Green Sanvi had transited through the chokepoint.

"Green Sanvi has safely transited the Strait of Hormuz, carrying 46,650 MT of LPG cargo with 25 seafarers on board", a statement said, without giving further details on its final destination.

It added that 17 Indian-flagged vessels, with 460 Indian seafarers, "remain in the western Gulf region".

Data from ship tracking company Marine Traffic's website confirmed that the Green Sanvi was an Indian-flagged tanker.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Qatar on Saturday after a visit to Saudi Arabia, where she met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Meloni's trip to the Gulf, which has been targeted on a daily basis by Iranian missile and drone attacks in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes, was not announced in advance.

According to the Qatari press agency QNA, Meloni "arrived in Doha on Saturday morning on a working visit to the country", and was welcomed by Mohammed Al Khulaifi, the state minister for foreign affairs, as well as the Italian ambassador.

The source said Meloni was the first leader of a European Union or NATO country to travel to the Gulf since the war broke out on February 28 with a wave of US-Israeli attacks that killed Iran's supreme leader.

Bahrain’s Defence Force has said its air defences have successfully intercepted and destroyed 188 missiles and 453 drones since Iranian attacks targeting the country began.

In a statement, the military condemned the strikes on civilian areas, describing them as violations of international law and a serious threat to regional security.

A US-Israeli strike on Saturday hit a cement plant in southern Iran, media reported, adding that operations were not interrupted.

"The American-Zionist attack against the cement plant of Bandar Khamir did not leave any casualties," said Tasnim news agency, quoting Ahmad Nafisi, the deputy governor of the southern Hormozgan province.

He added that operations at the plant have "continued as normal".

A US-Israeli strike on Saturday hit a trade terminal on the Iran-Iraq border, killing one person, Iranian media reported.

"At 11:00 am, the commercial terminal of the Shalamcheh border crossing in the southwestern city of Khorramshahr was targeted in an air attack by American and Zionist enemies," Mehr news agency said, citing Khuzestan province deputy governor Valiollah Hayati.

ISNA news agency quoted Hayati as saying that "an Iraqi driver was killed and two Iranian workers were wounded" in the attack.

After the strike, Iraq suspended trade and passenger movement through the Shalamcheh crossing, the Iraqi News Agency quoted Border Ports Authority chief Omar Al Waeli as saying.

A hospital in the coastal Lebanese city of Tyre was damaged by Israeli airstrikes on nearby buildings that wounded 11 people, the health ministry said on Saturday.

The director of the Lebanese Italian Hospital told the state-run National News Agency (NNA) that it would "remain open to provide the necessary medical care" despite the damage.

Strikes destroyed two buildings nearby, an AFP correspondent saw, shattering windows and causing suspended ceilings to collapse in the hospital, the facility's management said.

A series of attacks hit the Tyre region on Saturday, including one on its port that struck a small boat and damaged others moored nearby, the AFP correspondent said.

Iran's oil exports from the key island of Kharg have increased even as the war with the United States and Israel rages, Iranian media reported on Saturday.

"Following the visits carried out and meetings held on Kharg island, I must say that in recent days not only have oil exports not decreased, but they have increased," ISNA news agency quoted Moussa Ahmadi, the head of the Iranian parliament's energy commission, as saying.

A projectile from a US-Israeli attack hit near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran on Saturday, killing one person, state media reported.

"Following the US-Zionist criminal attacks, this Saturday morning, around 8:30am, a projectile hit the area near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the southwest," said the official IRNA news agency.

It added that one of the building's guards was killed but noted that there was no damage to the plant's facilities.

A second Turkish-flagged ship has crossed the war-torn Strait of Hormuz, Turkey's Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said Saturday.

Uraloglu said that on February 28 there were 15 ships belonging to Turkish shipowners waiting to go through the strategic strait.

"Two of these 15 made the crossing," he told the private CNN Turk channel. "This is explained by our initiatives and also by the fact that they were using Iranian ports or carrying goods coming from or bound for Iran".

Uraloglu did not say when the second ship crossed the strait.

The minister said only nine of the blocked ships had sought permission to pass through the strait and that the transport and foreign ministries was trying to help them.

"Four of them have not requested to leave. Two of them are power-generation vessels and are stationed on site. The other two are waiting for the situation to calm down," he added.

US-Israeli strikes on Saturday targeted a petrochemicals hub in southwestern Iran, hitting several companies in the area, Iranian media reported.

"Explosions occurred in the Special Petrochemical Zone of Mahshahr," said Fars news agency, citing the deputy governor for Khuzestan province.

Fars said the "US-Israeli attack on Mahshahr" hit three companies in the area, while Tasnim news agency said "the extent of the damage remains unknown".

An attack killed one fighter from the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi on Saturday, the alliance said, blaming the US and Israel.

"This treacherous attack resulted in the martyrdom of one PMF fighter and the wounding of four others, as well as a member of the ministry of defence," said a short statement from the group, which is also known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF).

Now part of Iraq's regular armed forces, the PMF also contains pro-Iran factions and has been repeatedly targeted since the start of the Middle East war.

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 conflict, EuroNews reported.

According to EuroNews, the Maltese-flagged container ship, CMA CGM Kribi, sailed eastbound from waters off Gulf on Thursday (local time) afternoon, marking a significant development in regional shipping activity.

Ship tracking data cited in the news report showed the vessel broadcasting its French ownership while navigating along the Iranian coastline through an approved corridor between Qeshm and Larak islands.

The vessel had reportedly remained idle in the Gulf since early March, along with several other non-Iranian ships, after the conflict sharply reduced commercial maritime traffic in the region.

Iran on Saturday executed two men convicted of membership in a banned opposition group and carrying out disruptive actions aimed at overthrowing the Islamic republic, the judiciary said.

The executions were the latest in a series targeting members of the banned People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK), after four other convicted members of the group were executed earlier in the week.

"Abolhassan Montazer and Vahid Baniamerian ... were hanged after trial and their sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said on Saturday.

The men were found guilty of attempting "rebellion through involvement in multiple terrorist acts", as well as membership in the MEK group and carrying out acts of sabotage aimed at overthrowing the Islamic republic.

An India-bound LPG tanker has begun its journey through the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz, offering some relief to concerns over energy supplies amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.

The vessel, Green Salvi, is carrying more than 46,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and is expected to exit the narrow waterway by early morning, according to the sources.

The shipment is likely to play an important role in supporting India's domestic cooking gas supply at a time when global energy routes remain under stress.

Sources said the tanker is not sailing alone. It is leading a convoy of three Indian LPG carriers moving through the Strait, making it the seventh India-bound vessel to cross the maritime chokepoint since the conflict in the region began.

The safe passage of these vessels comes after clearance from Iran, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy facilitating their transit.

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.

Another Iranian media, Mehr News Agency, reported that an Iranian projectile struck a US helicopter, which, according to Mehr News Agency, was under an operation to search for the downed pilot of the US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet.

Bahraini authorities reported that four people were injured after debris fell from an Iranian drone that had been intercepted and destroyed.

The Ministry of Interior said on X that the four citizens sustained minor injuries and several homes in Sitra were damaged. Civil defence and ambulance teams have been deployed to manage the situation.

The three United Nations peacekeepers wounded in a blast in southern Lebanon on Friday were from Indonesia, UN officials said, just days after three other Indonesians were killed in separate explosions.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said the blast occurred inside a UN facility near El Adeisse on Friday afternoon, injuring three peacekeepers who were rushed to a hospital.

Two were seriously wounded.

UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Jakarta said the "origin of the explosion" was unknown but identified the wounded peacekeepers as Indonesian.

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 (local time), Al Jazeera reported.

The Iran-backed militia has been attacking US bases in West Asia amid the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

Meanwhile, an Iraqi police source told Al Jazeera that there's been an attack against the Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF)'s headquarters in Al Qaim in western Iraq. An air raid was also reported on the headquarters of the 34th Brigade of the PMF in Mosul.

The Israeli military said Saturday it had begun striking "Hezbollah infrastructure" in Beirut after it destroyed a bridge in eastern Lebanon to prevent the Iran-backed group's reinforcements from crossing.

An AFP journalist heard two loud explosions in the capital within half an hour early Saturday and saw smoke billowing from one of them.

Local media reported two strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, a locality that has been a target of Israeli strikes in recent days as the military presses on with its ground invasion in the country's south.

As of Friday, 247 of the wounded were Army soldiers, 63 were Navy sailors, 19 were Marines and 36 were Air Force airmen, according to Pentagon data available online.

It is unclear if the data includes any of the service members involved in the downing of two combat aircraft reported Friday.

Most of the wounded — 200 — were also mid to senior enlisted troops, 85 were officers and 80 were junior enlisted service members.

The current death toll remains at 13 service members killed in combat.

Bahrain, which holds the presidency of the UN Security Council this month, postponed the vote on a resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz that had been watered down significantly because of opposition from Russia and China, two UN diplomats said.

The diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity because council consultations have been private, said the vote will now be held sometime next week.

The Bahrain-sponsored draft resolution that had been expected to be put to a vote on Saturday would authorise defensive measures — not offensive action that Gulf nations and the United States initially supported — to ensure vessels can safely transit the waterway where one-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes.

Bahrain has sought support from all 15 council nations, and the postponement of the vote indicates that the watered-down draft is still not acceptable to Russia and China.

Authorities responded to a minor incident in Dubai Internet City after debris from an aerial interception fell on the facade of the Oracle building, the Dubai Media Office said.

Officials confirmed that there were no injuries and the situation was quickly brought under control.

Authorities responded to an incident in Dubai Marina after debris from an aerial interception struck the facade of a building, the Dubai Media Office said. Officials confirmed that the situation was brought under control, with no reports of injuries or fire.

A French-linked vessel has crossed the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the US-Israeli war effectively choked the vital artery of global trade more than a month ago.

The Malta-flagged container ship, owned by French shipping giant CMA CGM, made the transit, according to BFM TV — also owned by the company — though CMA CGM itself declined to comment.

Data firm Kpler says it is the first ship tied to a major Western European operator to pass through the strait since the conflict began.

Tehran has maintained that “non-hostile vessels” may still use the waterway, but repeated attacks on commercial shipping have all but frozen normal traffic.

Tracking data shows the vessel stayed unusually close to Oman’s coastline— keeping distance from Iranian waters — as it navigated the narrow passage. Its cargo remains undisclosed.

A separate Japanese liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier also successfully exited the strait, with shipping firm MOL confirming all crew and cargo were safe and reiterating that safety remains its top priority, CNN reported.

Maritime intelligence outlet Lloyd’s List noted that several ships making the passage adopted similar tactics, hugging Oman’s coast “unusually close” as they moved through one of the world’s most strategically sensitive chokepoints.

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Defence announced that Kuwait's air defence systems have detected and engaged nine missiles, seven ballistic and two cruise, in the last 24 hours on Friday amidst the current regional military escalation.

The spokesman added that the army bomb disposal squad responded to 22 reports.

The House Armed Services Committee has been notified by the Pentagon that the status of a second service member is not known after the downing of the fighter jet.

The panel was told that an F-15 was shot down and one service member has been recovered, according to a congressional aide who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose the private communication.

The other service member’s duty status is unknown, the aide said.

That generally means the Defence Department does not know the person’s whereabouts and they have gone missing.

President Donald Trump told NBC News that the recent downing of a US fighter jet would not impact any negotiations with Iran, while declining to comment on the ongoing search and rescue mission.

“No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war,” Trump said in a brief phone interview.

On Truth Social, he posted cryptic messages about oil, including: “KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?” Earlier Friday, he suggested the US could “easily” reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a shift from his previous stance that other countries were responsible for clearing the waterway.

“With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE,” Trump wrote.

A second US Air Force combat aircraft went down in the Middle East on Friday, according to a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive military situation.

It was not clear if the aircraft crashed or was shot down or whether Iran was involved. Neither the crew’s status nor where the aircraft went down was immediately known.

The New York Times earlier reported that the second aircraft went down.

Also Friday, a US fighter jet was shot down in Iran and one crew member was rescued.

Day 35: Trump seeks $1.5t defence budget as war intensifies

Day 34: UN chief warns world on 'edge of a wider war'

Day 33: Trump says US to hit Iran 'extremely hard'

Day 32: Debris hits several homes in Dubai, 4 injured

Day 31: Trump threatens to obliterate Iran's Kharg island