US-Israel-Iran War Highlights: Jaishankar discusses Middle East crisis with counterparts from Iran, UAE, Qatar

All updates to this blog have ended.

US President Donald Trump has set Tuesday evening as the deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face potential strikes on critical infrastructure, according to an interview published in WSJ on Sunday.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Trump warned that failure to act within the timeline could trigger attacks on key targets inside Iran. “If they don’t do something by Tuesday evening, they won’t have any power plants and they won’t have any bridges standing,” he said.
 

Iran’s culture minister Sayed Reza Salihi-Amiri has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s latest threats, describing him as an “unstable, delusional figure” amid rising tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.

In an interview, Salihi-Amiri said Iranian society largely ignores Trump’s statements, arguing that he lacks consistency and frequently shifts between contradictory positions. “Iranian society generally does not pay attention to his statements, as it believes he lacks personal, behavioral and verbal balance,” he said.
 

US President Donald Trump said he would not "leave in the middle of the war." Speaking to Channel 12, he also claimed his administration is engaged in “deep negotiations” with Iran to secure a ceasefire.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned US President Donald Trump’s latest threats, calling them an “incitement for war crimes and crimes against humanity.” Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the remarks reflect what he described as a “criminal mindset”, warning that targeting critical infrastructure would endanger the civilian population.

“Threatening to attack a country’s critical infrastructure, energy sector, it would mean that you want to put at risk the whole population. This is nothing less than war crimes and crimes against humanity,” Baghaei said in an interview.

US President Donald Trump appears to have issued a precise deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, sharpening his earlier ultimatum with a specific time. In a brief post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Tuesday, 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time!” — without directly mentioning Iran or providing further context.

Trump had earlier warned that failure to reopen the strategic waterway by Tuesday evening could result in US strikes on Iran’s critical infrastructure, including power plants and bridges.

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar received a phone call from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, during which both sides discussed the present situation. The conversation comes amid ongoing tensions in the region.

EAM Dr S Jaishankar held a phone call on the ongoing conflict with Qatar Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. In a separate call, he also spoke to his UAE counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the evolving situation in West Asia.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted an Israeli-linked vessel in the channel near the UAE’s Jebel Ali port, according to a statement cited by news agency Reuters. 

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has warned US President Donald Trump that his “reckless moves” could push the region towards a wider conflict.

In a post on X, Ghalibaf said Trump’s actions were dragging the US into “a living HELL” and warned that “our whole region is going to burn” if tensions continue to escalate. He also dismissed the effectiveness of military action, saying, “You won’t gain anything through war crimes.”

US President Donald Trump has said he offered Iranian negotiators “immunity from death” at their request, as he asserted that key issues in talks with Tehran had already been largely settled.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump said the central objective for Washington was ensuring that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons. “The big thing is they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. They’re not even negotiating that point, it’s so easy,” he said, adding that “most of the points are conceded.”

His remarks come amid heightened tensions between the two countries, even as diplomatic channels remain active.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York on Sunday accused US President Donald Trump of openly threatening civilian infrastructure, calling his remarks “direct and public incitement to terrorise civilians” and evidence of intent to commit a war crime.

In a statement posted on social media, the mission said Trump had spoken of targeting key facilities, warning that such actions would endanger infrastructure essential for civilian survival in Iran.

The Iranian mission criticised the international community for what it described as inaction, urging the United Nations and member states to intervene. It said there was a legal obligation to prevent such acts, warning that failure to respond promptly could have serious consequences.

Accusing Washington of escalating tensions, the mission said the US was pushing the region towards a prolonged conflict and called for immediate global action to avert further escalation.

Russia on Sunday called on the United States to abandon the “language of ultimatums” in dealing with Iran, expressing hope that ongoing efforts to de-escalate the conflict would succeed if diplomatic engagement is prioritised. The statement from Russia’s Foreign Ministry came after a conversation between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araqchi.

Moscow said Washington could help stabilise the situation by returning to a negotiating track, signalling its preference for a diplomatic resolution amid rising regional tensions.

(Reuters)

Mahdi Tabatabaei, an aide in the Iranian president’s office, said a portion of tolls collected from vessels passing through the strait would need to be allocated towards covering war-related losses before normal transit resumes.
 

The Israeli military said it has recovered a cache of Hezbollah-linked military equipment from a school in southern Lebanon, highlighting what it described as the group’s continued use of civilian spaces. In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said troops from the Golani Brigade discovered uniforms, military gear, and documents tied to Hezbollah inside the premises. Among the items were graduation certificates linked to the group’s elite Radwan Force, as well as operational manuals for rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).

Iran has called on the international community to act after US President Donald Trump’s latest threats, accusing him of openly targeting civilian infrastructure and pushing the region towards a wider conflict. In a statement posted on X, Iran’s mission to the United Nations condemned Trump’s remarks, saying they amounted to threats “to destroy infrastructure essential to civilian survival” inside the country.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised US President Donald Trump following the reported rescue of an American pilot, calling it a significant and courageous operation. In a statement, Netanyahu said the mission reflected the determination of “free societies” to act against threats and uphold the principle that no one is left behind.

An Iranian air defence commander has been killed in a reported US-Israeli strike, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency. The report said Brigadier General Masoud Zare, who headed the Iranian Army’s Air Defense College, died in the attack on Iranian territory.

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has called for an end to what he described as “unjustified Iranian aggressions”, as tensions continue to rise across the region. During talks with Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the two sides discussed recent developments, including attacks on Kuwaiti energy facilities. Sheikh Mohammed expressed Qatar’s full support for Kuwait and backed measures taken to protect its sovereignty and security.
 

US President Donald Trump said the United States had earlier sent weapons intended for Iranian protesters through Kurdish channels, In remarks to Fox News, Trump said he believes Kurdish groups may have kept the weapons instead.

US President Donald Trump said he believes a deal with Iran could be reached by Monday. In an interview with Fox News, Trump indicated that talks with Tehran are ongoing and suggested there is a strong possibility of a breakthrough.

Israel has carried out at least seven strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday, as warplanes remained active over the city for more than four hours, according to reports from local media.

US-Israeli strikes reportedly targeted the international airport in Iran’s southwestern city of Ahvaz, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.

The report, citing a deputy security official in Khuzestan province, said the attack hit Qasem Soleimani International Airport. Authorities added that no casualties have been reported so far.

Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein thanked Iran for allowing Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and reiterated Baghdad's policy of rejecting war, the foreign ministry said on Sunday.

Hussein made the remarks during a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Iraq Mohammad Kazem Al‑Sadeq, according to the statement.

(Reuters)

In a fresh threat to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump says, "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fu***** Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell."

Read the full story here.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday said it had carried out coordinated strikes targeting petrochemical facilities across the Gulf, including sites in the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain, marking a sharp escalation in the ongoing regional conflict.

The group also issued a statement warning attacks against US economic interests would be intensified if attacks on civilian targets in Iran are repeated.

US President Donald Trump says the second American airman rescued from Iran is "seriously injured".

In a post on Truth Social, he said, "We have rescued the seriously wounded, and really brave, F-15 Crew Member/Officer, from deep inside the mountains of Iran. The Iranian Military was looking hard, in big numbers, and getting close. He is a highly respected Colonel. This type of raid is seldom attempted because of the danger to 'man and equipment.' It just doesn’t happen! The second raid came after the first one, where we rescued the pilot in broad daylight, also unusual, spending seven hours over Iran. An AMAZING show of bravery and talent by all!"

The defence ministry of the UAE said on Sunday that among the 60 projectiles fired at the country were nine ballistic missiles, 50 drones and one cruise missile.

This brings the total number of projectiles fired at the UAE during the current war in the Middle East to 507 ballistic missiles, 24 cruise missiles, and 2,191 drones.

(With AP inputs)

The Omani Foreign Ministry posted on social media Sunday that deputy foreign ministers and experts from both countries met to discuss “a number of visions and proposals” to ensure “smooth transit” through the strait.

Oman has often served as a mediator between the US and Iran in the past.

Saturday’s meeting came two days before U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed deadline for Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz was due to expire.

Trump had warned of “devastating consequences” if Iran doesn’t comply by Monday.

(Associated Press)

An oil tanker loaded with Iraqi crude was seen passing through the Strait of Hormuz close to the Iranian coast a day after Iran said Iraq was exempt from any restrictions to transit the vital sea route, data from LSEG and Kpler showed.

The Ocean Thunder loaded about 1 million barrels of Basrah Heavy crude on March 2 and is expected to discharge its cargo in Pengerang, Malaysia, in mid-April, Kpler data showed.

(Reuters)

Israel helped with intelligence in the US operation that led to the successful retrieval of an American airman who spent nearly 36 hours inside Iranian territory before being rescued, according to an unnamed Israeli security official cited by news agency Reuters.

(With Reuters inputs)

The Iranian consulate in Mumbai shares a video, saying Iran's armed forces thwarted an attempt by the US military as it tried to retrieve an American airman, who was later successfully rescued from Iranian territory. 

"A rescue operation planned by Israel and the U.S. at an abandoned airport in Isfahan failed due to the timely intervention of our forces," the mission quoted Iran's central command of armed forces as saying in a post on X.

An unnamed US official, cited in a Wall Street Journal report, has said that two American MC-130J transport aircraft were destroyed by US forces themselves after the planes apparently became stuck during the rescue mission.

A spokesperson of the unified command of Iran's armed forces says an on-ground assessment shows that two C-130 planes and 2 Black Hawk helicopters were downed south of Isfahan, according to a broadcast statement cited by news agency Reuters.

(With Reuters inputs)

In a post on 'X', the Israeli Defence Forces accused Lebanon's Hezbollah of systematically violating international law and endangering UN personnel. "At least 165 of Hezbollah’s rocket launches have landed inside or adjacent to UNIFIL posts in southern Lebanon. The IDF continues to maintain coordination with UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon) forces in the area," it said. 

Al Jazeera is reporting that the IDF has attacked Beirut’s southern suburbs. According to Al Jazeera reporters on the ground, warplanes can be heard flying low over Lebanon's capital for the past several minutes. 

Crude oil prices are rising, supply is tightening, and the West Asia war shows no sign of ending. So how much of this oil crisis is the world still underestimating? Read more here. 

A US official told the Wall Street Journal that the two MC-130J transport planes appeared to have gotten stuck during the rescue op. They were destroyed by US forces to prevent them from falling into Iranian hands. Read more here.

According to Reuters, Kuwait Airways will resume its scheduled flights to and from India, starting 5 April. These fights will resume via the King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, South Arabia. 

Al Jazeera is reporting that Israeli air defence systems are intercepting Iranian missiles. According to Israeli media reports, alarms have been activated throughout the country’s north, including the port city of Haifa.

Taking to 'X', Iranian Parliament Speaker MB Ghalibaf mocked the rescue mission of the US with an image of what Iran claims is a downed US aircraft. "If the United States gets three more victories like this, it will be utterly ruined," he wrote. 

Bahrain's state media says that the fire at a petrochemical factory has been brought under control. It adds that teams are assessing the damage from the incident. 

(Reuters)

Iran's state-owned media has released the first footage of what it claims to be the remains of two US BlackHawk helicopters and one C130 military transport plane in Isfahan.

(Source: IRIB)

Missing since the downing of his fighter aircraft in Iran, the US Air Force pilot has been rescued and safely evacuated after a dramatic firefight. Trump confirmed the pilot is "safe and sound" after a "daring" operation. Read more here.

Egypt's Foreign Minister, Badr Abdelatty, spoke to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff as well as his Iranian counterpart, Syed Abbas Araqchi, to discuss proposals for regional de-escalation, Reuters quoted Egyptian media as saying.

According to Al Jazeera, a fire has broken out at a petrochemical plant in Abu Dhabi, caused by falling debris after intercepting an Iranian missile. “Operations at the plant have been immediately suspended pending a damage assessment,” read a statement issued by Abu Dhabi Media Office. No injuries have been reported so far, as per the Doha-based news organisation. 

Iran's foreign minister, Syed Abbas Araghchi, speaks to his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar. "Tehran appreciates Pakistan's help. Iran is determined to defend itself using all capabilities," said Araghchi. 

(Reuters)

"...As missiles are fired at our capital, the holy city of Jerusalem, the US and Israel stand firm against the Iranian regime and its terror proxies," posted Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on 'X'. 

Reuters, quoting Tasnim news agency, reports that Iran has claimed to have destroyed several 'flying objects' during the mission to rescue a US pilot. 

Hezbollah launched several rockets at the Galilee region of northern Israel on Sunday, marking the first such attack in over 12 hours. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said some rockets were intercepted while others were allowed to land in open areas in line with standard protocol. Earlier on Saturday, the IDF intercepted several Hezbollah drones targeting the Galilee Panhandle. Sirens that sounded before midnight and again on Sunday morning in Western Galilee turned out to be false alarms, the military said.

Iranian state media reports that the aircraft downed by Iran's IRGC is a C-130 of the US Air Force.

Iran on Sunday claimed it has downed another US fighter jet over Isfahan, amid a search-and-rescue operation to repatriate the F-15E pilot. 

(Photo: Fars News Agency)

According to the New York Times, a senior US military official has described the rescue mission as one of the most complex and difficult in the history of US special operations. According to the report, US Air Force aircraft carried out airstrikes on Iranian convoys in order to prevent them from reaching the pilot being rescued. The report also noted that the pilot used a beacon and secure communications to coordinate with rescuers. 

Reuters is quoting Iranian media as saying that Iran has executed two men accused of attacking a military site during January protests. 

Iran's revolutionary guards claim that they struck the aircraft, which was involved in the search for an F-15E pilot in Ishfahan province. 

(Reuters)

US President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce that one of the pilots of the F-15E, which was downed by Iran, has been rescued. "WE GOT HIM! My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History, for one of our incredible Crew Member Officers," he posted. 

A US official told Al Jazeera that both crew members from the downed F-15 had been found and recovered. However, they are still inside Iran, and the rescue team has not yet confirmed whether they have been safely evacuated. Read more here. 

On 'X', the Iranian Embassy in Yerevan posted a video, which apparently mocked the ongoing oil crisis around the world. 

Al Jazeera is reporting that a spokesman for Khatam Al-Anbiya, a key military command in Iran, has warned that the entire region will turn into hell for the US if its aggression expands. He is also quoted as saying, "the mirage of defeating the Islamic Republic has turned into a swamp in which you are sinking."

Bahrain's interior ministry says that civil defence has extinguished a fire in a facility which has been hit by Iran, reports Reuters. 

The US "recovers” the second crew member from the downed F-15E jet in Iran. A US government official told Al Jazeera the pilot was recovered following a “heavy firefight". 

The Israeli Defence Forces said it has struck 200+ Iranian regime infrastructure targets across Iran. Among the targets were an IRGC site storing a variety of weapons, several sites for the production, storage, and development of ballistic missiles and IRGC's air defence systems. 

Iran has struck an Israel-affiliated commercial vessel near Bahrain, Reuters reported on Sunday. The country also launched missiles at locations across Israel overnight. According to Iranian state broadcaster, Iranian naval forces targeted the MSC Ishyka, which is reportedly owned by Israel at Khalifa bin Salman Port in Bahrain.

After the loss of two fighter aircraft, the US is positioning the bulk of its lethal long-range JASSM-ER missiles in readiness to strike Iran. Read more here. 

Four Italian airports have introduced fuel restrictions due to limited availability, according to Italian newspaper L'Unione Sarda. Air BP Italia, one of the country's main fuel operators, has notified airlines of the restrictions via a bulletin, though no reason was given for the decision. Essential services such as air ambulances will not be affected. These airports are Milan Linate, Venice Marco Polo, Bologna, and Treviso. 

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is believed to have told Trump that attacking roadways could hamper Iran's ability to use them to move missiles and materials for making drones, while a senior White House official reportedly told the US president to consider targeting electric plants to complicate Tehran's path to acquiring a nuclear device. Read more here. 

Civil defence is taking measures to control fire in a facility after an Iranian attack, Reuters quotes Bahrain's interior ministry as saying. 

In a post on X, the department of Homeland Security said that ICE officers in Los Angeles arrested Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and Sarinasadat Hosseiny, the niece and grandniece of Qasem Soleimani, the late head of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Hosseiny, who entered the United States in July 2015 on a student visa, became a green card holder in 2023. On April 3, 2026, the US revoked her green card, which is a long-term residency permit. "It is a privilege to be granted green card to live in the United States of America. If we have reason to believe a green card holder poses a threat to the U.S., the green card will be revoked," the department posted on X. 

Reuters reports that satellite imaging firm Planet Labs will indefinitely withhold ‌visuals of Iran and the Middle East in order to comply with a US government request.  California-based firm said that the U.S. government had asked all satellite imagery providers to indefinitely ​withhold images of the conflict region. The company said that the move will prevent ⁠adversaries from using it to attack the US and its allies. 

Iran's IRGC has claimed destroying a MQ-9 Reaper drone in Ishafan, Al Jazeera quoted Fars news agency as saying. The drone is capable of flying long-range distances at medium altitude.

Mohamed ElBaradei, the former director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has issued an urgent appeal to Gulf nations to intervene following a 48-hour ultimatum issued by US President Donald Trump against Iran.

"These days I wanted to be in Saudi Arabia, in Qatar, in the United Arab Emirates. I believe that for Italy it is important, in such a difficult phase, to be present in the places where a fundamental part of our security and also of our economic future is decided. This mission is the first by a European leader in the Gulf since the beginning of this new phase of the conflict, but clearly it is not a simply symbolic visit," the Italian PM wrote on X.

Kuwait says two power and water desalination plants were attacked by Iranian drones, resulting in 'significant' material damage. Two power generation units out of service

(Reuters)

Kuwait's air defense system engages with hostile missiles and drones, reports Kuwait News Agency. 

According to a Bloomberg report, the United States has deployed a significant portion of its Joint Air-to-Surface Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) inventory in an ongoing campaign against Iran, straining weapon stockpiles intended for other regions. The strikes aim to degrade Iranian defense infrastructure, though intelligence indicates rapid rehabilitation of these sites. 

(Bloomberg)

Sergeant First Class Guy Ludar , 21, from Yuvalim, an IDF soldier in the Maglan Unit of the Commando Brigade, was killed during combat in southern Lebanon in a friendly fire incident. According to an initial IDF investigation, the incident occurred around 3 am during an arrest operation in the village of Shebaa. A soldier opened fire after mistakenly identifying suspects attempting to flee, killing Ludar and seriously wounding another soldier.

WATCH: Iran launched a missile towards Israel overnight as the war rages on. 

(Reuters)

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has "never refused to go to Islamabad" for peace talks, but emphasised that any negotiations must deliver a "conclusive and lasting" end to what it calls an "illegal war." Read more here. 

Kuwait Petroleum ​Corporation said a fire erupted in the Shuwaikh oil sector complex, which houses the oil ministry and KPC headquarters, after a drone attack, the Kuwaiti state news agency reported early on Sunday. Emergency and firefighting teams were dealing with the fire, it added.

(Reuters)

Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations, New York posted on X, that the US and Israeli regime’s systematic targeting of civilians and critical infrastructure in Iran, including the Mahshahr Petrochemical Zone (today) and the Karaj–Tehran B1 Bridge (1 April), constitutes war crimes and State terrorism. These criminal acts violate IHL and terrorise civilians. The international community must act decisively and condemn unequivocally.

Iran warned the US and Israel that the “entire region will become hell for you” if the current escalation continues, according to Iranian media reports.

Kuwait says an Iranian drone strike on a government office complex on Saturday caused significant damage, though no injuries were reported.

US President Donald Trump claimed in a Truth Social post that several of Tehran’s top military leaders had been “terminated” in what he described as a “massive strike” on the Iranian capital. The post, accompanied by a one-minute seven-second video purportedly showing the explosions lighting up the sky, came amid rapidly intensifying hostilities in West Asia and mounting uncertainty over the next phase of the conflict.

Egypt has raised electricity prices for higher-use residential consumers and commercial users starting in April, the electricity ministry said on Saturday, citing a severe global energy crisis linked to the war in the Gulf region.

Israel is preparing to attack Iranian energy facilities but is awaiting a green light from the United States, a senior Israeli defense official said on Saturday, adding that any such attacks would likely come within the next week, news agency Reuters quoted.

A fire broke out at Kuwait’s Shuwaikh oil sector complex after a drone attack, according to the state news agency, with emergency teams moving swiftly to contain the blaze. Authorities said no injuries were reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has warned the United Nations of the risk of a radiological release after a fourth reported attack near the Bushehr nuclear power plant. In his letter to the UN, Araqchi said the repeated strikes in the vicinity of the active facility pose a grave threat of radioactive contamination, with potentially severe human and environmental consequences for the wider region.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis say they launched a military operation targeting sites in Israel.

Four drones strike Iraq’s Bazurgan oilfield near Iran border, damaging storage facility, security sources say.

Iranian media reports at least five dead in the Mahshahr petrochemical attack.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni wrapped up a two-day Gulf tour in the UAE after visiting Saudi Arabia and Qatar, discussing investments in energy, defence and security with President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Talks also focused on ending the regional conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

-AP

Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says the Israeli military targeted steel plants and petrochemicals facilities in Iran in fresh wave of strikes.

(With Reuters inputs)

Buildings in East Jerusalem were damaged after Iran launched multiple missile barrages triggering sirens across Israel, with defence systems intercepting most threats. No injuries were reported as rescue teams responded to impact sites. Meanwhile, Hezbollah continued rocket fire in northern Israel, most of which was intercepted, according to the Associated Press.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command says Iraq would be exempt from any transit restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, signalling preferential treatment for Baghdad as Tehran tightens oversight of the key shipping route. The move underscores regional ties and strategic considerations amid heightened tensions, Al Jazeera reports.

Iraqis gathered in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square on Saturday, condemning US-Israeli attacks on Iran and the resistance front, expressing solidarity and calling for unity against regional aggression.

-Reuters

Sirens were sounded in Jerusalem and near the Dead Sea during an Iranian ballistic missile attack, with no prior alert issued, The Times of Israel reported. Separately, a missile targeting northern Israel was intercepted, with no injuries reported, though interception results remain under assessment.

The US State Department said the niece of former top IRCG General Qassem Soleimani, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, and her daughter are in ICE custody after their green cards were revoked, the Associated Press reported. Officials alleged Afshar publicly supported Iran’s regime. Her husband has also been barred from entering the United States, as authorities cited national security concerns behind the action.

Kuwait’s military said it intercepted eight ballistic missiles and 19 drones in the past 24 hours, according to an Associated Press report citing an official briefing. Since the conflict began, Kuwaiti air defences have countered 709 Iranian drones, 327 ballistic missiles and nine cruise missiles, highlighting sustained aerial threats and ongoing interception efforts.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US media misrepresented Tehran’s stance, stressing Iran never refused talks in Islamabad. He praised Pakistan’s mediation efforts but insisted any negotiations must ensure a conclusive and lasting end to what Iran calls an imposed illegal war, highlighting conditions as the main concern.

The Israel Defense Forces says Givati Brigade troops seized RPGs, anti-tank missiles, and firearms in southern Lebanon, according to The Times of Israel. Forces also identified Hezbollah operatives and carried out a drone strike.