One U.S. crew member has been rescued after Iran downed a warplane, while the search continues for a second. At the same time, Iran has officially told mediators it will not meet U.S. officials in Islamabad in the coming days, calling U.S. demands unacceptable, according to The Wall Street Journal.
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Tehran has rejected a U.S. proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire, according to Iranian media citing an unnamed source.
The proposal was reportedly made on Wednesday through a third country, which was not identified.
A Reuters report citing the New York Times said a second U.S. Air Force combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday and its only pilot was then rescued.
The New York cited two U.S. officials.
One Egyptian citizen was killed and four others, including two Egyptians and two Pakistanis, sustained minor injuries after debris from an intercepted attack struck Abu Dhabi’s Habshan gas facilities.
Authorities report significant damage.
Mediation led by Pakistan has hit a dead end. Iran refuses to meet U.S. officials in Islamabad, calling U.S. demands unacceptable. Alternative venues like Doha and Istanbul are being considered. Talks remain stalled.
Qatar's Defense Ministry on Friday said that the armed forces "successfully intercepted and neutralized all incoming Iranian drones."
Qatar has been on the receiving end of Iranian Drone and missile attacks after a joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran. About 1,340 people have been killed in the conflict, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
U.S. officials have confirmed that one of the two pilots on board the U.S. fighter jet shot down in Iran has been rescued, CBS news has reported.
Unnamed U.S. sources speaking to the American television and radio broadcaster on Friday claimed that one of the plane's two pilots was rescued by U.S. forces.
Search and rescue operations are continuing in the area for the second pilot who ejected from the plane after it was shot down, the unnamed officials said.
Earlier, Israeli media also reported that one U.S. crew member had been rescued after the U.S. F‑15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran, citing Israeli officials.
You can read more about the incident in the article below.
The U.S. Embassy in Beirut said on Friday that Iran and its aligned armed groups "may intend to target universities in Lebanon."
In a security alert, the Embassy also urged U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon "while commercial flight options remain available."
Commercial flights are currently offered by Middle East Airlines, operating out of Beirut Rafic Hariri Airport.
Protesters gathered in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Friday to show support for Iran in its conflict with Israel and the U.S. Photos from the demonstrations show participants holding portraits of Iranian officials, including those killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes, and waving Iranian flags.
Israeli media, citing Israeli officials, reports that one U.S. crew member has been rescued after a U.S. F‑15E fighter jet was shot down over Iran.
The second crew member is still alive but believed to be inside Iranian territory.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it has begun striking what it describes as “terror infrastructure” in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, a significant escalation of its operations outside southern Lebanon.
Israel’s military spokesperson announced the development early Friday, with blasts reportedly heard across parts of the city.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has conducted a telephone conversation with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the Kremlin confirmed on Friday.
The leaders spoke about the escalating situation in the Middle East, according to a Kremlin statement released shortly after the call.
A governor in southwestern Iran has said anyone who captures or kills the crew of a downed U.S. fighter jet will be “specially commended,” according to the semi-official ISNA news agency.
The remarks come as Iranian authorities and state media urge the public to help locate the crew, with reports also mentioning rewards for their capture.
The claims follow unverified reports that a U.S. jet was shot down over Iran, with search operations ongoing and no official confirmation from Washington.
A U.S. fighter jet has been shot down over Iran, with a search and rescue operation underway for the crew, a U.S. official told Reuters on Friday.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not provide further details. The Pentagon and U.S. Central Command have not yet commented.
At least one person was killed and civilian infrastructure damaged in an attack on Iran’s Gulf port of Charak, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Tasnim reported that a passenger terminal and other civilian facilities were hit in what it described as a U.S.-Israeli strike.
Details on the extent of the damage and any additional casualties have not yet been independently verified.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned of potential “war crimes” following a phone call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
In comments after the call, Pezeshkian criticised threats of large-scale attacks, questioning their legality and warning of historical consequences for those who remain silent.
The exchange came as Stubb called for a ceasefire, continued dialogue, and steps to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has flown to Saudi Arabia and will also visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, government sources said Friday.
The trips are part of Italy’s ongoing diplomatic and economic outreach to the Gulf region, though officials have not disclosed the specific agenda or meetings planned during the visits.
Iranian state media report that parts of northern Tehran, including near Shahid Beheshti University and the area around Mehrabad International Airport, were struck on Friday in what they described as attacks by U.S. and Israeli forces.
State outlets described the strikes as hitting multiple points in the capital, including areas close to Mehrabad and surrounding districts, though independent verification and details on damage or casualties are not yet available. Explosions were reportedly heard across the city.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the U.S. could open the Strait of Hormuz and seize oil “with a little more time,” in a post on Truth Social.
He added that such an action could “make a fortune,” but offered no details on how it would be carried out or the potential international implications.
Twelve people were injured in Abu Dhabi’s Ajban area after debris from an interception fell, the media office said.
Authorities did not provide details on the nature of the interception but confirmed that those injured received medical attention.
A Japanese LNG tanker has safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines said Friday, with all crew members unharmed.
The Asahi newspaper reported it is the first Japanese vessel to exit the strait since the start of the Iran war.
Pope Leo on Friday urged Israeli President Isaac Herzog in a phone call to “reopen all paths of dialogue” to end the war with Iran, the Vatican said.
The pope also called for the protection of civilians and respect for international and humanitarian law, reflecting growing concern over the conflict’s impact.
The Vatican provided no further details on the conversation.
Israeli security firm Veloryx told Israel's Haaretz newspaper that its Aero Sol drone factory in Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv, suffered major damage in Iranian attacks.
Aero Sol manufactures and develops unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for military purposes in Israel and for international customers. The company's annual revenue ranges from $4.7 million to $6.3 million.
The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority has said closure of the country's airspace has been extended until 10 April. In statement, the agency said that Iraq's airspace would be closed to incoming, outgoing and transit flights during this period.
The decision was a "temporary and preventive measure" taken in line with the security situation and ongoing developments in the region, the agency added.
After the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February, Iraq closed its airspace to flights for 24 hours. The period was subsequently extended seveal times.
Falling debris from an intercepted missile fell on Abu Dhabi's Habshan gas processing plant on Friday, resulting in a fire at the facility, the emirate's media office said. Operations have been temporarily suspended while emergency teams work to contain the blaze. No injuries have been reported.
A French-owned container ship has left the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reported, citing ship tracking data. It appears to be the first time a vessel connected to Western Europe has departed the strait since the beginning of the Middle East conflict on 28 February.
The CMA CGM Kribi left the strait on Thursday afternoon local time, according to tracking data.
The World Health Organization says it has verified more than 20 attacks on healthcare facilities in Iran since 1 March, with at least nine people killed, including a member of the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said strikes have hit key medical sites.
The century-old Pasteur Institute in Tehran, a psychiatric hospital, and a facility producing cancer and multiple sclerosis medicines were hit, leaving some unable to continue delivering health services.
Iran’s nationwide internet blackout has now entered its 35th consecutive day, with global connectivity still near collapse and traffic measured at around 1% of ordinary levels, according to network monitoring data provided by NetBlocks.
A drone strike hit a Iranian Red Crescent Society relief warehouse in Bushehr province early Friday (3 April), the organisation said, destroying two relief containers, two buses and emergency vehicles in the Choghadak area. No casualties were reported.
The attack comes as humanitarian needs in Iran surge amid widespread conflict, with Red Crescent teams operating across multiple provinces under increasingly dangerous conditions.
So far there has been no independent confirmation from other sources about who carried out the drone strike.
Israeli forces say they have killed 15 members of Hezbollah following an attack in southern Lebanon, according to military spokesperson Avichay Adraee on X.
The post said Israel’s 146th Division identified the group, which was allegedly planning to launch anti-tank missiles toward Israel, and they were “eliminated” by the air force. Several weapons, including rifles and grenades, were reportedly confiscated.
Hezbollah has not immediately confirmed the attack or casualties.
Former Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has elaborated on his recently published blueprint for ending the war with the United States, sharing his thoughts on X.
Zarif wrote that as an Iranian, he is “outraged by Donald Trump’s reckless aggression & crude insults, yet proud of our armed forces & resilient people.”
He said he was torn about publishing the peace plan in Foreign Affairs but believes the war “must end on terms consistent with Iran’s national interests.”
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said it intercepted and destroyed six drones “during the past hours,” according to a ministry spokesperson on Friday morning (3 April).
Responsibility for the attacks has not been attributed.
Australia has accused Iran of “deliberately inflicting economic pain” by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Tehran’s actions are harming “communities worldwide, with the costs borne disproportionately by the most vulnerable.”
Speaking after a UK-led virtual meeting of 40 countries on the narrow waterway’s blockade, Wong emphasised that the focus remains on diplomatic and civilian measures to restore safe passage.
She stressed that Australia is not taking offensive action or deploying troops, continuing to support de-escalation and a peaceful resolution.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty that the Middle East crisis is a “shared concern” and that Moscow is prepared to help stabilise the situation.
Putin said he hopes the conflict will be “promptly resolved” and pledged that Russia is ready to make every effort to return the region to normal, according to a Kremlin readout.
Kuwait’s Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said its Al Ahmadi refinery was hit in an early-morning drone strike on Friday, sparking fires in several operational units. No employees were injured, and emergency teams have been dispatched.
The attack follows earlier warnings on X of “hostile missile and drone attacks” targeting Kuwait, highlighting the growing risk to Gulf energy infrastructure amid the regional conflict.
Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said it intercepted and destroyed a drone overnight, adding to earlier reports that four drones were shot down the previous day.
Russia said the Strait of Hormuz remains open for its vessels, with Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov noting continued access despite ongoing disruptions.
The comments followed talks between Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to state media.
Japan’s order for hundreds of Tomahawk missiles from the United States is facing delays as the war with Iran strains U.S. stockpiles, Bloomberg News reported. Washington has informed Tokyo that deliveries of roughly 400 missiles scheduled by March 2028 could be disrupted.
The delay comes as the U.S. has rapidly depleted its inventory during the conflict, reportedly firing hundreds of Tomahawk missiles in recent weeks, raising concerns about supply and production capacity.
A UN Security Council vote on a resolution to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has been delayed to Saturday, according to media reports. The proposal, put forward by Bahrain, would allow countries to use “all defensive means necessary” to safeguard commercial vessels in the vital waterway.
However, the measure faces major hurdles at the United Nations Security Council, with China signalling opposition to any language endorsing the use of force, making its passage unlikely.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to escalate strikes on Iran by targeting key infrastructure, including bridges and electric power plants.
In a social media post, Trump said the U.S. military “hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran,” adding that bridges and power facilities could be next.
He also warned Iran’s leadership that it “knows what has to be done… FAST!”, signalling potential further escalation.
The UK and its allies are considering new sanctions to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said after a virtual summit involving more than 40 countries.
Cooper accused Tehran of effectively “hijacking” the vital shipping route and “holding the global economy hostage,” as attacks on vessels disrupt energy flows and drive up fuel prices.
She said the coalition is prioritising diplomatic and economic measures, including potential UN action and coordination with the International Maritime Organization to restore safe passage.
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Iran is “essentially… no longer a threat,” U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (1 April), signalling what he described as the final phase of the war with Iran. In a televised address from the White House, Trump stated the U.S.-led campaign "Operation Epic Fury" was nearing completion.
The U.S. national average retail price of petrol rose above $4 a gallon for the first time in over three years on Monday (30 March), according to GasBuddy data, as the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran continued to roil global energy markets.
The involvement of Yemen’s Houthis has heightened regional tensions as the Iran-aligned group joins the conflict. The U.S. says it is hopeful of holding talks with Iran in the coming days, while Tehran has said that "talking and bombing is intolerable". Welcome to our live coverage of the conflict.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said his government will absorb a 56bn-rupee fuel subsidy to shield people from rising energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict.
One U.S. crew member has been rescued after two American warplanes were downed over Iran and the Gulf, as the search continues for a missing pilot, while President Donald Trump has given Tehran 48 hours to agree to a deal to end the war.
The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote next week on a Bahraini resolution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and protect commercial shipping, diplomats said on Friday, amid opposition from China to any authorisation of force.
One crew member from a U.S. warplane shot down over Iran has been rescued, U.S. officials said, as a search continues for a second crew member.
The family of the late Virginia Giuffre have urged King Charles III to meet survivors of sexual abuse during his upcoming state visit to the United States.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reshuffled his cabinet on Friday (3 April) in a bid to contain a growing scandal over the alleged fraudulent use of European Union farm subsidies.
The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote next week on a Bahraini resolution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and protect commercial shipping, diplomats said on Friday, amid opposition from China to any authorisation of force.
One U.S. crew member has been rescued after two American warplanes were downed over Iran and the Gulf, as the search continues for a missing pilot, while President Donald Trump has given Tehran 48 hours to agree to a deal to end the war.
Iran has strongly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb the country “back to the Stone Age”, calling his remarks an example of “war crimes and genocide.”
International law experts from across the U.S., including Harvard, Yale and Stanford, have signed an open letter saying the strikes on Iran may amount to war crimes. America and Israel began airstrikes on 28 February on Iran's capital, Tehran.
The global commodities market is facing a severe structural supply shock after a series of coordinated military strikes in the Middle East devastated critical industrial infrastructure, threatening the manufacturing base of Western economies.
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