Iranian media: Tehran rejected US proposal for 48-hour truce. Two US fighter jets shot down

Several loud explosions were heard this evening in Tehran, according to Afp journalists. Air defences were activated, the Iranian news agency Fars reported. Israel had previously announced 'large-scale attacks' on the Iranian capital.

Two US military helicopters engaged in search operations for the downed F-15 were reportedly hit by Iranian fire, but the soldiers on board were all unharmed. This was reported by a US official quoted by Nbc.

US President Donald Trump, in a brief telephone interview, refused to discuss the details of the search and rescue operation in Iran following the downing of an American jet, expressing frustration at the media coverage of what is clearly an intense and sensitive military operation. In a brief telephone interview with Garrett Haake of Nbc News, Trump, when asked if today's events will affect any negotiations with Iran, replied: 'No, not at all. No, it's war. We're at war, Garrett."

"An American-Zionist invading enemy A10 aircraft was intercepted and hit by the country's air defence network systems in the waters south of and near the Strait of Hormuz". This was stated by the Iranian military quoted by the Fars news agency, after the New York Times reported that the jet crashed in the Gulf with the pilot unharmed.

The current round of negotiations initiated by the countries in the region, led by Pakistan, to reach a ceasefire between the US and Iran has reached an impasse. This was reported by the mediators, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). According to the sources, Iran has officially informed the mediators that it is not willing to meet US officials in Islamabad in the coming days and that it considers the US demands unacceptable.

A second US Air Force combat aircraft crashed today in the Persian Gulf region, and the only pilot was rescued, two US officials told the New York Times.

The A-10 Warthog attack aircraft crashed near the Strait of Hormuz at about the same time that an Air Force F-15E was being shot down over Iran, officials told the NYT.

The Abu Dhabi authorities updated the situation regarding the Habshan gas facilities, where they had previously intervened after debris fell from an attack intercepted by Saudi air defence systems.

According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, the fire that broke out at the site caused the death of an Egyptian citizen and the injury of four other people; two Pakistanis and two Egyptians. The authorities also reported that the fire was contained, but the facilities suffered significant damage.

"The international crisis is already having and will have concrete negative effects on Italy's energy and economy, the government is monitoring them all and intends to intervene with all the instruments that are possible to protect our nation's families and businesses". So said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in an interview with Tg1 to be aired tonight. With the excise dl approved today, 'another €500 million has been allocated to extend the €0.25 cut in fuel costs until 1 May. We have also extended the previous measure with measures in favour of farmers and companies that export,' claims Meloni, adding: 'The opposition is clearly doing its job, but it is also in the fortunate position of being able to criticise from the comfort of the sofa because it is others who have to solve the problems, and we do. We would perhaps expect a slightly more constructive attitude,' the premier concludes.

Mediation attempts led by countries in the Middle East region, including Pakistan, to negotiate a ceasefire between the US and Iran have reached an impasse, according to the Wall Street Journal. Iran, the newspaper explains, has in fact officially informed the mediators that it is not prepared to meet US officials in Islamabad in the coming days and that it considers the US demands unacceptable.

One of the two US pilots of the F-15 fighter jet shot down over Iranian skies today may have been captured. This is according to Iranian media citingunofficial sources, according to which "commandos of the ground forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCG) conducted extensive field operations in the area where the American fighter crashed, managing to identify and capture the US pilot". This was reported by the Iranian agency NourNews (considered close to the Pasdaran), also reported by the Russian Tass. NourNews itself stresses that it cannot independently confirm the indiscretion.

The announcement on live TV.

One of the two pilots of the US F-15E fighter jet shot down in Iran has been rescued by US forces. This was confirmed to CBS News by two American officials. The F-15E is an aircraft with a crew of two. The search and rescue mission continues to find the second crew member as reported by an Israeli source and another familiar with the situation in Axios. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced today that they had shot down an American F-35 as it flew over central Iran, posting pictures on X of the fighter pilot's seat 'remaining intact' as proof that he was alive. But according to the analysis of an expert quoted by CNN, the photo of the seat 'matches' the F-15E jet. The US has confirmed the shooting down of an American fighter jet in the skies over Iran. The New York Times reports this, citing US officials, in what is the first incident of its kind against the US since the start of the war against Iran on 28 February.

Israel has 'cancelled planned raids' in Iran so as 'not to hinder' the ongoing search for the crew of a US fighter jet that was allegedly shot down by Tehran's anti-aircraft fire, Axios reports, citing an Israeli official.

A US helicopter sent in the air to search for the crew of the US fighter jet shot down by Iran 'was hit' by a bullet, the Iranian Mehr news agency reports, without giving further details.

According to a video received by Iran International, which shows extensive damage to the site, the Imam Hossein military base of the Iranian Armed Forces in Khorramabad was destroyed following air raids conducted by Israel and the United States. The video, most likely shot from a vehicle, is posted on Iran International's website.

The Israeli prime minister's words during a meeting at the IDF headquarters.

An Israeli source told Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 that one of the US crew of the downed plane in Iran has been rescued.

The search continues for the other crew members who were on board.

Iran's former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, a diplomat with long experience in negotiations with the West who remains close to the pragmatic wing of the Iranian leadership, published in the influential US magazine Foreign Affairs a proposal to end the conflict, in which he states that the time has come to end the suffering and hypothesises an agreement with the US. This is a signal that part of the Iranian leadership may be willing to negotiate. "Prolonged hostility will cause greater loss of precious lives and irreplaceable resources without effectively altering the current stalemate," wrote Zarif, who helped negotiate Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

Soldiers from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Soar), the Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the 'Night Stalkers', may be involved in search and rescue operations for downed American pilots in Iran. The regiment, according to some media reports, specialises, among other missions, in carrying out operations in hostile environments, including search and rescue, and is constantly trained and prepared for such scenarios. It was the Night Stalkers who deployed special forces in Caracas and captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro last January.

In today alone 23 people died and 98 others were injured as a result of Israeli attacks in various parts of Lebanon, the Lebanese Ministry of Health announced, quoted by the national news agency NNA.

The same source added that the 'total number of martyrs since 2 March has risen to 1,368 and the number of wounded to 4,138'.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Turkish President Rep Tayyip Erdogan during which they exchanged views on the escalation in the Persian Gulf, the Kremlin said today.

"An in-depth exchange of views was held on the continuing escalation of the political-military confrontation in the Persian Gulf region. The leaders noted the convergence of positions on the need for an immediate ceasefire and the development of compromise peace agreements that take into account the legitimate interests of all states in the region," the statement read.

The Washington Post (WP) writes, citing US sources, that the rescue mission following the crash of a US jet in Iran was launched for a two-man crew. According to the WP, 'according to officials and images released by Iranian state media, the plane involved appears to be an F-15'. The newspaper points out that this is the fourth loss of an F-15 since the start of the war in Iran, after Kuwaiti personnel had mistakenly shot down three such jets in early March.

"Unifil reminds all actors of their obligation to ensure the safety of the blue helmets, including by avoiding combat activities in the vicinity that could endanger them," said UN Lebanon Interim Force spokeswoman Kandice Ardiel.

"Before talking about the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Italia must firmly oppose the blatant violation of international law by the American-Zionist aggressors." This was stated in a social media post by Iran's embassy in Rome. "The insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz is a direct result of US and Zionist regime aggression, not Iran's self-defence," it further reads. "If you are concerned about the global energy and fertiliser crisis, encourage the aggressors to end the war completely and definitively so that stability can return to the region," the post concludes.

New Israeli attacks havedamaged important water infrastructure in southern Lebanon, reports the South Lebanon Water Authority.

In a statement reported by the Lebanese National News Agency, the civilian body said that the shelling hit structures in Ibl al-Saqi and al-Maysat, causing significant damage, as well as causing extensive damage to solar power systems at the al-Zahiriya station in Qanarit and the Eastern Well No. 1.

The Prime Minister's blitz in the Persian Gulf: Giorgia Meloni, who landed in Jeddah in the afternoon of Friday 3 April, will see the main leaders of the area in two days and will visit not only Saudi Arabia but also the Arab Emirates and Qatar. This is the first visit by a Western leader to the oil-critical area since the beginning of the conflict in Iran. The PM's surprise mission aims, among other things, at the strengthening of national energy security. The Gulf is a crucial source of oil and gas for Italia and plays a decisive role in global energy prices.

US officials confirmed to the US newspaper New York Times that an American fighter jet was shot down in Iran and that a rescue operation for survivors is underway.

The plane was supposedly shot down in southwestern Iran.

The US expelled Iran's deputy ambassador to the UN on national security grounds last December. This was reported by a US official to Axios. There have been at least three diplomats from Tehran expelled to New York in the past six months. In early December, the source reported, the State Department sent an official note to Iran's mission to the UN asking Deputy Ambassador Saadat Aghajani to leave the US immediately under 'Section 13 procedures'. This is an internal Foggy Bottom process aimed atfacilitating a discreet expulsion, rather than formally declaring a person 'persona non grata'. No specific charges have been brought against Aghajani, but in February, the State Department also asked the diplomat's children, who remained in New York after their father's departure, to leave the country.

The Iranian army has begun 'search operations' to capture the pilot of a US fighter jet that was shot down by the Islamic Republic's air defence systems, according to the Fars news agency. In addition, local media add, a reward has been offered to anyone who finds and delivers the man.

Three Unifil peacekeepers were injured after an explosion at one of the mission's posts in southern Lebanon. "This afternoon, an explosion inside a UN post... injured three blue helmets, two of them seriously. They are all currently being evacuated to hospital. We do not yet know the origin of the explosion,' said spokeswoman Kandice Ardiel. An Indonesian peacekeeping soldier was killed on Sunday and two others the next day in southern Lebanon, near the Israeli border.

US President Donald Trump has asked Congress to increase defence spending to $1.5 trillion. This is the largest request in decades and yet another sign of the importance the president attaches to US military investments over domestic programmes. The plans for the Pentagon for 2027 were confirmed in a draft of Trump's budget proposal for 2027, released today by the White House. The document states that Trump's proposal would reduce non-defence spending by 10 per cent and shift some responsibilities to state and local governments. Even before the US-led war against Iran, the Republican president had indicated that he wanted to increase defence spending in order to modernise the armed forces and make them better suited to the threats of the 21st century. Separately, the Pentagon last month proposed $200 billion for the war effort and to replenish ammunition and materiel stocks. Trump, speaking before his speech to the nation scheduled for this week on the war with Iran, signalled that the armed forces are his priority, foreshadowing a confrontation in Congress. "We are fighting wars. We can't deal with kindergartners," Trump said Wednesday during a private event at the White House. "We can't take care of daycare, we can't take care of Medicaid, we can't take care of Medicare, we can't take care of all these individual things," he said. "They can do it at the state level. You can't do it at the federal level."

Iran reportedly shot down a US fighter jet and search and rescue operations are underway to locate the two crew members. It is believed to be an F-15 fighter plane.

This was reported by the American news agency Axios, citing Iranian media.

Israel will continue to strike Iran in coordination with the White House, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today during a meeting at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv.

"In full coordination between me and President Trump," the Israeli PM said in a video released by his office, "and between the IDF and the US military, we will continue to strike Iran. This regime is weaker than ever, Israel is stronger than ever."

An important step towards the sixth-generation fighter. On Thursday, 2 April, the first international contract for the project involving Italia, Japan and the UK was signed. The agency that manages the programme for the three countries awarded Edgewing - a joint venture between Leonardo, Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement and Bae Systems - a £686 million contract 'that finances key design and engineering activities and enables the trilateral partnership to consolidate its momentum and accelerate the completion schedule,' reports a note. The international contract will run until 30 June 2026. The Gcap programme launched in 2022 aims at the entry into service of the new combat aircraft, with pilot on board, by 2035. In the long term, the sixth-generation fighter will take the place of the Eurofighter.

"The speed with which Edgewing and the Gcap Agency have increased their operations has been made possible by our shared goal and the strength of the collaboration," was the comment of joint venture CEO Marco Zoff. "This contract represents an important moment for Gcap, as activities previously carried out under the separate contracts of the three nations will now be carried out as part of a fully structured international programme," emphasised Gcap Agency CEO Masami Oka.

The Guardians of the Revolution, the Iranian Pasdaran, deny they are responsible for the attack on an electricity and water desalination plant in Kuwait and accuse Israel. The New York Times reports this after the Kuwaiti Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy had earlier reported damage to part of the site due to an Iranian attack.

According to unconfirmed rumours, a US pilot may have been captured by Iranian forces after being ejected from a state-of-the-art fighter jet that was shot down in central Iran, according to the Revolutionary Guards. This was written by the Iranian Tasnim agency, referring to the announcement by Tehran of the shooting down of an F-35. Sources suggest that the US pilot was captured by Iranian military forces. According to a correspondent of the Tasnim Agency in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province in western Iran, there are reports that after the US fighter jet was shot down by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps today, the pilot ejected by landing on Iranian territory. The correspondent added that there are indications that the Americans, believing the pilot was still alive, attempted to take him out of Iranian borders. However, some sources claim that the pilot was probably captured by Iranian forces.

Public transport in Islamabad will be free for all citizens. This was announced on X by the Pakistani Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, after the government drastically increased fuel prices due to the soaring global cost of energy caused by the war in Iran. 'All public transport in Islamabad will be free for the general public for the next 30 days, starting Saturday,' the minister wrote, adding that the government will bear a burden of 350 million rupees (over 3 million euros).

According to the Lebanese national news agency, Israeli attacks killed four people and injured others in southern and eastern Lebanon. In the western Bekaa town of Sahmar, a drone attack targeted worshippers exiting a mosque, killing two people and injuring eleven others. Other attacks were reported in Qalawiya, where one person lost his life. In Yahmar al-Shaqif, in the district of Nabatieh, one person was killed, according to some sources.

The director general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) today denounced the 'multiple attacks' against health facilities in Iran since the beginning of the war, complaining in particular that the Pasteur Institute is no longer able to operate. "Multiple attacks against health facilities in Tehran have been reported in recent days in the context of the escalating conflict in the Middle East," wrote Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in X.

Iran's Pasteur Institute 'has suffered significant damage and is unable to continue its health activities', he added. However, he added, the centre, which was founded in 1920, "has been active for over a century in numerous fields of medical research" and "plays a vital role in the protection and promotion of public health, particularly in emergency situations".

- The Israeli army announced plans to strike two bridges in the Bekaa region of eastern Lebanon, warning residents to move away from the area. "The Israeli Defence Forces intend to strike the Sohmor and Mashghara bridges in order to prevent the transfer of reinforcements and military equipment," Colonel Avichay Adraee, the army's Arabic-language spokesman, said on X. 'For your own safety,' he told the citizens, 'you must continue to move towards the area north of the Zahrani River and refrain from any movement southwards that could endanger your lives.

A container ship belonging to the French group Cma Cgm crossed the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, leaving the Gulf, with the navigation signal indicating 'French owner'. This is according to maritime tracking data from the website MarineTraffic. The Maltese-flagged Kribi crossed the Strait of Gibraltar from west to east on Thursday afternoon and was off Muscat on Friday morning, with the message 'ship owner France' still visible instead of the destination. This appears to be the first known passage of a ship belonging to a major European shipping group through the Strait of Hormuz, which is practically paralysed by the war in the Middle East. According to navigation data, the container ship passed north of the island of Larak, close to the Iranian coast, following a route apparently approved by the Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has implemented a registration system for 'authorised ships'.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke this morning with His Highness the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. This was made known by Downing Street, stating that the two 'discussed the deployment of the British Rapid Sentry air defence system in Kuwait, which will protect Kuwaiti and British personnel and interests in the region, while preventing an escalation of the conflict'. Starmer, the statement read, 'began by condemning the reckless night-time drone attack on a Kuwaiti oil refinery. He reiterated that the UK stands by Kuwait and all its allies in the Gulf." "With regard to the continuing disruptions to global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the Prime Minister and Crown Prince welcomed the meeting convened yesterday by the Foreign Secretary on a concrete plan to reopen the Strait," the note continued, adding that the two "agreed to continue to work together on this issue and remain in close contact in the coming weeks"

In the morning of today, a telephone conversation took place between Pope Leo XIV and Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel, on the occasion of the Easter holidays. "During the conversation, the need to reopen all possible channels of diplomatic dialogue was reiterated, in order to put an end to the current serious conflict, with a view to a just and lasting peace throughout the Middle East. In the continuation of the conversation, the importance of protecting the civilian population and promoting respect for international and humanitarian law was stressed," a Holy See note reported.

The aggressive strategy with which Donald Trump is attempting to impose the choices of the United States on the global stage, including tariffs and the war on Iran, is giving rise to an increasingly evident backlash: some countries are responding by exploiting their control over the main bottlenecks in the world economy, threatening the US and the entire global system. This is the analysis of the New York Times, according to which the White House's more muscular approach is offering opponents and rivals new opportunities for economic retaliation.

One of the most obvious cases is the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, which accounts for less than 1% of the global economy, nevertheless controls a sea route through which about one fifth of the world's oil and gas passes. The closure of the passage since the start of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran in late February has halted shipments of fuel, fertiliser and other goods, driving up petrol prices sharply and spreading concern among American farmers and producers.

The US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford was only able to attack two days after a fire in the laundry room was extinguished on 12 March. Cnn writes this by reporting the statements of the US Navy commander, who thus provided the first indication that the fire hindered combat operations against Iran. A US Fifth Fleet communiqué of 12 March - CNN reconstructs - stated that the ship (which was operating in the Red Sea at the time of the fire outbreak as part of Operation Epic Fury) had remained fully operational after the fire, which, according to the statement, was not combat-related and had caused minor injuries to two sailors. The Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Daryl Caudle, speaking on Tuesday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (Csis), a Washington-based think tank, praised the way the Ford's crew handled the fire in the laundry.

"They fought the fire, put it out and resumed air sorties two days later, so I'm very proud of that crew," he said. A US official told CNN last month that extinguishing the fire, cleaning up water damage and other substances used to extinguish it, and preventing any re-ignition took about 30 hours. The official also stated that just over 100 beds were damaged by the fire, as some sleeping areas are located adjacent to the laundry where the fire broke out. However, he acknowledged that about 600 sailors in total were forced to abandon their bunks. The USS Ford was withdrawn from service just over a week after the fire, with the Navy stating that the 100,000-ton warship would be sent to a US base in Souda Bay, Greece, for repairs.

epa12858432 Un ciclista passa accanto alla portaerei della Marina degli Stati Uniti USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), ormeggiata a Spalato, in Croazia, il 29 marzo 2026. La nave è giunta in porto per essere sottoposta a riparazioni a seguito di un incendio non legato a operazioni di combattimento verificatosi durante le operazioni nel Mar Rosso EPA/STRINGER

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif presented an articulate peace plan in a speech published in the American magazine 'Foreign Affairs'. Zarif, who is a professor at the University of Tehran, where he is also vice president, proposes that Tehran "declare victory and make an agreement that ends the conflict and prevents the next one". First of all by committing not to pursue nuclear weapons and to 'water down' to 3.67 per cent its stockpile of enriched uranium (Tehran has over 400 kilos of 60 per cent enriched uranium that, in a short time, can be brought up to the level needed to fuel nuclear devices, ed), the level envisaged in the 2015 nuclear accords that Zarif signed, and from which Donald Trump withdrew in 2018. Zarif also proposes that China and Russia be included in a future agreement to open a single uranium enrichment site in Iran for the entire region, to which Tehran would "transfer all its enriched material and equipment"

The US and its allies should simultaneously lift sanctions against Iran and allow the country to fully participate in the global economy. Tehran should also reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but the US must allow Tehran the use of its trade routes. The two countries should then sign a non-aggression pact in which 'both countries pledge not to strike each other in the future'. Zarif has no government posts but favoured the election of Masoud Pezeshkian as President. Although he is considered a fashionato and is often attacked by the more conservative sections of the regime, it does not seem credible that he published the proposal without the go-ahead of whoever is really in power in Tehran at the moment.

Abu Dhabi has shut down a gas complex after falling debris during an intercepted attack caused a fire at the site. "The Habshan gas facilities have been shut down while the fire is being contained," reads the statement released by the Abu Dhabi government on X, which adds that there were no injuries.

Vista panoramica della città di Abu Dhabi dalla piattaforma panoramica delle Emirates Towers ad Abu Dhabi, negli Emirati Arabi Uniti, il 23 dicembre 2018. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/Foto d'archivio

Nairobi - In Vision 2030, the strategy launched a decade ago by Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia insisted on the 'diversification' of the national economy and a farewell to oil dependence. Today, there is one resource that seems as much in the balance as, and more than, black gold profits: water. Riyadh is facing the risks of the Iranian offensive on the hundreds of desalination plants distributed between Riyadh and the other five countries that form the Cooperation Council of the area (Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar).

Already, Tehran's first incursions had fallen near key drinking water production and supply facilities, including those launched a few kilometres from Dubai's Jebel Ali: a complex housing over 40 desalination plants, fuelled by fossil fuels that abound in the region's subsoil.

A barrage of missiles fired by Iran hit northern Israel, slightly injuring one person in Kiryat Ata and causing damage in the area. This was reported by the Israeli authorities, according to Haaretz.

After the bombing, at least six hit points were identified between Haifa and Kiryat Ata. The army stated that the salvo included several missiles, including cluster munitions.

A container ship belonging to the French shipping group Cma Cgm crossed the Strait of Hormuz yesterday to leave the Persian Gulf, showing through its navigation signal that it has a 'French owner', according to maritime tracking data from the website MarineTraffic consulted today. The Maltese-flagged Kribi crossed the strait from west to east yesterday afternoon and was off the coast of Muscat this morning, still broadcasting the message 'owner France' instead of indicating a destination.

China today expressed condemnation of the attacks against 'civilian infrastructure' in Iran, after the US claimed the destruction of the most important bridge in the Islamic Republic as part of its war effort. At a daily press conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning recalled that 'military actions conducted by the United States and Israel against Iran without authorisation from the UN Security Council violate international law'.

Mao added that China 'opposes attacks against civilian infrastructure' and demanded that 'the parties concerned immediately cease fire, return to the track of a political and diplomatic solution, and avoid a more serious humanitarian catastrophe'.

Further reading

Oil and rare earths: why the end of the war in Iran is decided in China

01 April 2026

"Russia is providing Iran with intelligence information on military installations in the Middle East. Ukraine has already reported this to the US on two occasions'. Rbc-Ukraine reports this, citing an interview of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with NewsNation. "We have confirmation from our intelligence services that Russia has shared and continues to share information with Iran. They are transmitting everything, many satellite images of various targets on the territory of Middle Eastern countries," Zelensky said. This includes, in particular, satellite images of installations in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan.

Kyrgyzstan has sent 129 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Iran. This was announced today by the press service of the republic's Ministry of Emergencies. "This aid is intended to support the affected civilians," the statement stressed.

Kuwait disclosed that an Iranian attack today damaged parts of a power generation and water desalination plant, adding that emergency teams are operating according to contingency plans to maintain operations and secure the facility. This was reported by al Jazeera.

The Kuwaiti authorities have not provided further details at this time on the extent of the damage or the possible impact on production. Emergency teams are reportedly working to ensure plant continuity and site safety.

Turkey is bidding to play a 'balancing and constructive role' in the post-war Middle East, while the ceasefire between Iran and Israel still seems far off and Donald Trump is evoking new weeks of bombings. Outlining Ankara's position, in an interview published today by Il Messaggero, is Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler, according to whom the priority task remains to avoid a widening of the conflict and to build a new regional stability based on dialogue, international law and containment of tensions.

"Our country can play a balancing and constructive role in the post-conflict period. The initiatives taken so far clearly demonstrate this," Guler says, stressing that Ankara, "taking into account its geopolitical position", aims to create "a security belt and an environment of stability" around the country, while contributing "to international peace".

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned against any "provocative action", including in the UN Security Council, ahead of tomorrow's vote on a draft resolution that, if passed, would authorise UN member states to use "defensive means" to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. "Any provocative action by the aggressors and their supporters, including in the UN Security Council, regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz will only complicate the situation," Araghchi said. Al Jazeera reports.

The number of ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz is increasing, although traffic is still far below normal pre-war levels. This was reported today by the maritime intelligence company Windward, according to al Jazeera. On Wednesday, transits through the strategic passage rose to 16, marking the third consecutive daily increase, according to Windward. All 16 vessels used a route that passes through Larak Island.

Further reading

Nearly 1,200 ships blocked in Hormuz, cargo premiums rise

19 March 2026

The Israeli Air Force hit and killed 15 Hezbollah militants in south Lebanon. This was reported by the Israeli army. According to the IDF, the militants were planning to launch anti-tank missiles against Israel. During the operation, weapons and grenades were found in the possession of the militants.

The European Union must prepare for a 'long lasting' energy crisis caused by the war in the Middle East and is considering 'all options' to deal with it, including fuel rationing and releasing additional oil reserves. This was said by EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen in an interview with the Financial Times, warning that for some 'critical' products, such as jet fuel or diesel, 'things could get worse in the coming weeks'.

Further reading

Reducing demand and cooling prices: the EU recipe against high energy prices

03 April 2026

The Iranian broadcaster Press TV published footage in which army spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari is seen warning the US: 'If you continue to threaten attacks against Iranian power plants, we will target regional energy infrastructure and telecommunications and IT companies with American shareholders'. Al Jazeera writes this. Iranian military officials have repeatedly threatened to target major technology companies in the Middle East.

The UN Security Council had initially scheduled a vote on the resolution on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for today, which is a UN holiday on Good Friday. But it later cancelled that meeting and UN diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the vote should be held tomorrow. The final draft of Bahrain's proposal, obtained by the Associated Press yesterday, authorises defensive but not offensive actions to ensure that ships can safely transit the strait. Russia, China and France, all countries with veto rights in the 15-member Security Council, had expressed opposition to the use of force. The proposal now therefore authorises countries 'to use all defensive means necessary and commensurate with the circumstances in the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters' to secure passage and deter attempts to interfere with international navigation 'for a period of at least six months'.

"The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have announced that they have shot down a second US F-35 as it flew over central Iran." This was written by the Iranian news agency Fars, pointing out that the fighter "was destroyed and crashed". There is no information on the pilot due to the severe damage to the aircraft. Al Jazeera, which reported the news, specified that at the moment no comment has been received from the US command in the region.

Further reading

Iran, US reinforce military presence: satellites show concentration of F-35s

24 February 2026

Iranian drones hit the Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery in Kuwait, causing fires inside the facility. The state-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corp. released a statement on the attack and said that firefighters are working to tame the flames. No injuries were reported.

The EU is considering 'all options', including fuel rationing and releasing additional oil from emergency reserves, as it prepares for a 'long-lasting' energy shock caused by the war in the Middle East, the Financial Times reported today in an interview with European Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen. "It will be a long crisis... energy prices will remain high for a long time," Dan Jorgensen told the FT, adding that for some more 'critical' products "we expect the situation to get even worse in the coming weeks".

Further reading: Iran, the energy war

Iran claims to have shot down an American F-35 fighter jet in the centre of the country and that the pilot probably did not survive. This was reported by the semi-official Mehr News agency. In the course of the war, the Iranians have repeatedly claimed to have shot down American aircraft, but these claims have since been denied.

The B1 bridge, which connects Tehran to neighbouring Karaj, was attacked by the US because it is used by the Iranian military to secretly transport missiles and missile components from Tehran to launching sites in western Iran. A US official told Axios, pointing out that, according to Washington, the bridge also serves to provide logistical support to Iranian military forces in Tehran.

A drone manufacturer backed by President Donald Trump's two eldest sons is trying to sell to Gulf countries while they are under attack by Iran and dependent on the US military led by their father. The sales campaign by Florida-based Powerus - which last month announced a deal to involve Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. - puts the company in a position to potentially profit from the conflict.

"These countries are under enormous pressure to buy from the president's children, for him to do what they want," said Richard Painter, former chief White House ethics counsel under President George W. Bush. "This will be the first presidential family to make a lot of money from a war, a war for which they did not get congressional consent."

Further reading

Ft: Hegseth broker wanted to invest in weapons before the Iran attack

31 March 2026

The Israeli army reports that more missiles have been fired from Iran towards Israeli territory. This was reported by Al Jazzera. The Israeli army also said that air defence systems are in action to intercept the attack. According to Afp, no casualties have been reported at the moment.

According to recent US intelligence assessments after one month of war, about half of Iran's missile launchers are still intact and Tehran still has thousands of attack drones at its disposal. Informed sources tell CNN. 'Iran is still fully capable of sowing absolute chaos throughout the region,' one of the sources said. According to the report, Tehran still has about 50 per cent of the drones and a vast amount of cruise missiles that constitute a key strategic capability to threaten maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump has threatened further destruction of civil infrastructure in Iran, citing bridges and power plants in detail. "Bridges are next, then power plants!" the US tycoon warned on his Truth social network account. Trump had previously applauded the destruction of an iconic bridge near Tehran. Eight civilians were killed in this attack against that bridge under construction, according to the Islamic republic's media. "The leaders of the new (Iranian) regime know what needs to be done, and that it needs to be done in haste!" the US president added, alternating between threats and appeals to Tehran to accept a ceasefire agreement.

Further reading

Trump: 'We will hit Iran hard, take it back to the stone age'

01 April 2026