The US and Iran are in a race to find an American service member who went missing after a F-15 fighter jet was struck down over the Middle Eastern country.
One of two crew members aboard the F-15 fighter jet has been rescued. Iran is reportedly offering locals around £50,000 to anyone who hands over the missing pilot alive.
Iran also reportedly hit an A-10 attack plane in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, which made it to Kuwaiti airspace, where the pilot ejected and the aircraft crashed, officials said.
Another two US helicopters involved in F-15 rescue efforts were also reportedly hit by Iran.
Asked if today’s events will affect any negotiations with Iran over ending the war, US President Donald Trump told NBC: “No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war”.
Trump told The Independent he is not yet ready to say what the US will do if Iranian forces get to the downed airman first. “We hope that’s not going to happen,” the president said before ending the call shortly thereafter.
Key Points
- Second US plane struck by Iran
- Trump says downing of US jet won't affect talks with Iran
- Trump won’t say what US will do if missing pilot in Iran is harmed: ‘We hope that’s not going to happen’
- What we know about Iran's attacks on US aircraft
- US can take Strait of Hormuz with more time, Trump says
US lawmaker warns Iranian hostage scenario 'totally changes the negotiations'
06:00 , Stuti MishraThe ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee has warned that if Iran has captured a US service member, it would fundamentally alter the course of the war and any potential negotiations.
"If the Iranians have an American service member hostage, that totally changes the negotiations. It gives them a leverage point and makes it more difficult to resolve this conflict," Representative Adam Smith told CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront.
Mr Smith, who said he opposed the war from the start, warned the asymmetry of the conflict was a fundamental problem. "All Iran has to have is a few missiles, a few drones, and enough resources to continue to support their proxies in order to survive," he said. "That's why I thought this war was a mistake in the first place."
He also questioned what a negotiated settlement would look like, saying there was "no evidence" Iran was begging for a deal despite Mr Trump's claims, and flagged rumours that vice president JD Vance was trying to negotiate a brief ceasefire "but on what terms?"
“If the Iranians have an American service member hostage that totally changes the negotiations.”
— Erin Burnett OutFront (@OutFrontCNN) April 4, 2026
Ranking Member of House Armed Services, @RepAdamSmith on the urgent search for a U.S. service member inside Iran after a fighter jet is shot down. pic.twitter.com/PAKzEYVOOf
Israel strikes Hezbollah sites in Beirut as Hezbollah rocket injures three UN peacekeepers
05:40 , Stuti MishraThe Israeli military said this morning it had begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure sites in Beirut, as it also claimed to hit a launcher in southern Lebanon used to fire rockets toward northern Israel earlier in the evening.
The IDF said a Hezbollah rocket had struck a UN peacekeeping position in the Al-Adaysa area of southern Lebanon, injuring three UNIFIL personnel, two of them seriously. "The terrorist organization Hezbollah continues to operate while endangering international forces and harming UN personnel," the military said.
US congressman says Pentagon has 'stonewalled' Congress over downed aircraft and missing airman in Iran
05:15 , Stuti MishraA US congressman has accused the Pentagon of blocking Congress from receiving information about a downed US aircraft and a missing service member in Iran, saying lawmakers have been left relying on public news reports.
"The Pentagon and Trump have made a decision not to keep the House of Representatives and the Senate informed about what's going on," Representative John Garamendi told CNN's Kaitlan Collins. "Basically they've stonewalled us."
Mr Garamendi said Congress had received "virtually nothing" from the Pentagon about the incident. "We reached out to our professional staff on the committee, and they've not heard anything other than the normal reporting," he said.
He added that his thoughts were with the missing airman and those involved in the rescue operation. "It's very, very dangerous, not only for the airman that's been shot down, but also for those that are risking their life to try to rescue that individual."
Rep. John Garamendi on the downed US aircraft and search for the missing service member in Iran tonight: "We have heard virtually nothing from the Pentagon about this..." pic.twitter.com/yhi0ANlItJ
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) April 4, 2026
Dubai says no fire or injuries after debris falls on Marina building following aerial interception
04:45 , Stuti MishraDubai authorities say no fire or injuries were reported after debris fell on the facade of a building in the city's Marina area following an aerial interception, the emirate's media office just said.
Trump in 'panic mode' after downing of US fighter jet leaves one service member missing: John Bolton
04:30 , Rachel DobkinJohn Bolton, former national security adviser to Donald Trump, has said the US president is in “panic mode” after the downing of a US fighter jet over Iran leaves one service member missing.
“Why do you think the president hasn't spoken about this on camera today?” CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked Bolton, who has emerged as a critic of Trump.
Bolton responded: “He's probably back in panic mode, wishing he could find a way to declare victory and get out of this war”.
Trump did give two brief phone interviews today, including one to The Independent, in which he wouldn’t comment on what the US will do if the missing service member is captured or harmed.
“I can't comment on it because — we hope that's not going to happen”, he said.
Iranian strike on US Embassy in Saudi Arabia caused more damage than previously disclosed: report
04:00 , Rachel DobkinAn Iranian strike on the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia on March 3 caused more damage than previously disclosed, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The strike did heavy damage to three floors of the embassy, current and former US officials said in the report.
The Central Intelligence Agency station on the compound was hit in the attack, according to people familiar with the matter.
In pictures: Iranian bridge damaged by strike
03:30 , Rachel Dobkin
US Republican senator will not support further attacks Iran without formal declaration of war
03:00 , Rachel DobkinUS Senator John Curtis, a Utah Republican, has said he will not support further attacks on Iran without a formal declaration of war.
“I stand by the President’s actions taken in defense of our national security interests in the Middle East. But we must be clear-eyed about history and the Constitution.
“While I support maintaining our readiness and replenishing stockpiles, I cannot support funding for further military operations without a formal declaration of war from Congress”, Curtis wrote on X Friday.
He further wrote in a Desert News op-ed that he will not support military action in Iran after 60 days without congressional approval. It’s been about five weeks since the US and Israel began launching strikes against Iran.
More than 200 attacks in Iran in 24 hours: report
02:30 , Rachel DobkinThere have been more than 200 attacks in Iran in 24 hours, the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported Friday.
The hundreds of attacks across 13 provinces have resulted in at least one death, according to HRANA.
US senator whose helicopter was downed in Iraq War speaks out about Iran fighter jet crash
02:00 , Rachel DobkinUS Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat whose helicopter was downed in the Iraq War, has spoken out about the US fighter jet that was downed over Iran.
“As someone shot down behind enemy lines, my heart goes out to the crew members and their loved ones who are waiting for answers”, Duckworth wrote on X. “It's a relief one servicemember has been found and rescued, and I'm grateful for those risking their lives to look for the one who remains missing”.
In 2004, Duckworth was serving in the Illinois Army National Guard when her Blackhawk helicopter was hit. She lost her legs and partial use of her right arm in the attack.
Watch: One crew member rescued after US F-15 shot down over Iran while search continues for other pilot
01:30 , Rachel DobkinBahrain postpones vote on UN resolution to open Strait of Hormuz: report
01:00 , Rachel DobkinBahrain has postponed a vote on a United Nations Security Council resolution to open the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Associated Press.
Iran has effectively closed the Middle Eastern waterway that carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas amid the US-Israeli strikes against its country.
The resolution will now be voted on next week, two UN diplomats told the AP.
Tehran residents say there's heavy fire across the city: report
Saturday 4 April 2026 00:30 , Rachel DobkinTehran residents said there was heavy fire across the Iranian city early Saturday morning local time, The New York Times reported.
The airstrikes come after a US fighter jet was downed over the Middle Eastern country Friday.
More than 300 US service members injured in Iran war: Pentagon
Saturday 4 April 2026 00:00 , Rachel DobkinMore than 300 US service members have been injured in the Iran war, according to the Pentagon.
Most of the injuries, 247, happened in the Army, the Associated Press reported, citing publicly available data.
Another 63 Navy sailors were injured, along with 19 Marines and 36 Air Force members.
In the nearly five weeks of war, 13 US service members were killed.
CENTCOM shares photos of military aircraft during 'Operation Epic Fury'
Friday 3 April 2026 23:46 , Rachel DobkinUS Central Command has shared photos of aircraft during its military campaign against Iran, which it has dubbed “Operation Epic Fury.”
An E-3 Sentry is refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker during Operation Epic Fury, March 31. The E-3 carries a rotating radar 30 feet in diameter for airborne surveillance. pic.twitter.com/1KuKUUX6rk
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 3, 2026
What we know about Iran's attacks on US aircraft
Friday 3 April 2026 23:14 , Harriette BoucherThe US suffered several attacks to its aircraft on Friday after Iran struck two of its military combat jets and hit two of its helicopters.
Search-and-rescue efforts are said to be ongoing as the US scrambles to locate a missing pilot in Iran.
What happened?
An F-15E Strike Eagle carrying two crew members was downed over Iran on Friday. US officials said they ejected before the aircraft went down.
One pilot has been rescued, while the other is still missing. Iran is hoping to find the crew member before the US does, reportedly offering citizens around £50,000 to anyone who hands over the “criminal American pilot” alive.
Following this attack, an A-10 Thunderbolt deployed to support the search and rescue mission was also struck.
The pilot managed to navigate the damaged plane to Kuwaiti airspace before ejecting and being rescued, officials have said.
Iran then hit two Blackhawk helicopters, which were also involved in the rescue mission. Officials have said personnel on board sustained minor injuries, but are safe.
What has Donald Trump said?
The US president is yet to publicly comment on the attacks, but told The Independent he isn’t yet ready to say what the US will do if the missing crew member is harmed.
Asked what he’d do if the pilot is captured or harmed by Iranians, Trump replied: “Well, I can't comment on it because — we hope that's not going to happen,” and ended the call shortly thereafter.
He also told NBC that the downing of the fighter jet would not affect negotiations over ending the war in Iran.
“No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war,” he said.
In a vague post on social media made after the attack, the US president wrote: “KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?”
UN personnel injured in Hezbollah rocket attack, Israel says
Friday 3 April 2026 22:49 , Harriette BoucherThree UN personnel were wounded after Hezbollah carried out a rocket attack, which struck a UNIFIL outpost in southern Lebanon, the Israeli Defence Force said.
According to the IDF, two of the people were “severely” injured.
UNIFIL was created by the Security Council in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and restore international peace and security. It has served as a buffer between the two countries.
Recap: Iranian citizens offered reward of £50,000 to hand over American F-15 pilot alive
Friday 3 April 2026 22:43 , Harriette BoucherResidents in Iran have been offered a reward if they hand over any “enemy pilot” to police following the downing of a US F-15 fighter jet.
Iranian state news issued pleas for citizens to search for and capture the pilot and hand them over to police alive.
Outlets have reported that the governor of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province promised a reward of 10 billion tomans (around £50,000) for anyone who hands over the “criminal American pilot”.
Trump after US jet downed: 'KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?'
Friday 3 April 2026 22:24 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump has taken to Truth Social to make his first public comments after an F-15 fighter jet was downed in Iran on Friday.
“KEEP THE OIL, ANYONE?”, the US president wrote.
It follows a post from Trump earlier in the day, in which he said that “with a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE. IT WOULD BE A “GUSHER” FOR THE WORLD???”
The US president is yet to issue a public statement about the attack on Friday. A search-and-rescue operation is underway to locate a missing crew member.
Trump won’t say what US will do if missing pilot in Iran is harmed: ‘We hope that’s not going to happen’
Friday 3 April 2026 21:52 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s White House Correspondent Andrew Feinberg spoke to Donald Trump as search-and-rescue efforts continue after the shooting-down of an American fighter over Iran:
As American and Israeli forces search for a F-15 aircrew member forced to eject after being shot down over Iran, President Donald Trump isn’t yet ready to say what the U.S. will do if the missing crew member is harmed.
In a brief Friday phone interview with The Independent, the president said he could not comment on what his course of action might be if Iranian forces get to the downed airman, the first American aviator to be shot down over enemy territory since an A-10 “Warthog” pilot ejected into Iraq after being struck by a surface-to-air missile in April 2003, just weeks into Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“We hope that’s not going to happen,” said the president, who ended the call shortly thereafter.
Trump’s expression of optimism regarding the fate of the missing Air Force officer came as Combat Search and Rescue forces from Israel and the United States were searching for the crew member, hours after they were forced to eject from their two-person fighter over Iranian territory.
The downed F-15 is the fourth American fighter aircraft — and the sixth military plane — lost since Trump started the massive air campaign against Tehran on February 28. Of those six, it is the only one so far to have been downed by enemy fire.
Trump won’t say what US will do if missing pilot harmed in Iran
Second US plane struck by Iran
Friday 3 April 2026 21:46 , Harriette BoucherIran struck a second US airforce plane on Friday in the Persian Gulf region and hit two US helicopters in a search-and-rescue effort.
US officials said an A-10 attack plane was also hit by incoming fire, and the pilot navigated the damaged plane to Kuwaiti airspace before ejecting and being subsequently rescued, The Washington Post reported.
According to the officials, two US Black Hawk helicopters were also were hit by Iranian fire, which injured personnel on board. Both aircraft are reported to have returned safely to their base.
The helicopters were reportedly involved in a search-and-rescue effort after a F-15 fighter jet was downed in Iran. So far, one pilot on the fighter jet has been rescued, while the other is still missing.
Trump says downing of US jet won't affect talks with Iran
Friday 3 April 2026 21:30 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump said that the downing of the F-15 fighter jet would not affect negotiations over ending the war in Iran.
Speaking to NBC, the US reportedly refused to discuss the specifics of ongoing search and rescue efforts in Iran, but expressed frustration about some of the coverage of what is plainly an intense and sensitive rescue operation.
Asked if today’s events will affect any negotiations with Iran, the president told NBC’s Garrett Haake: “No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war, Garrett.”
It follows reports from Iranian media that Tehran has rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire.
What in God’s name is Pete Hegseth doing in Iran?
Friday 3 April 2026 21:20 , Harriette BoucherWe've had past presidents proclaim, 'God protect our soldiers,' but 'this is different in kind from anything we've seen before,' one military law expert tells Brendan Rascius, while a former US ambassador calls Hegseth’s war religiosity ‘performance art’:
Trump to meet Nato chief after threatening to withdraw US from alliance
Friday 3 April 2026 21:00 , Harriette BoucherThe chief of Nato is set to meet with Donald Trump on Wednesday, following criticism from the US president over the alliance’s supposed lack of help in Iran.
Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth will also attend the discussions with Mark Rutte in Washington.
It comes after the US president said he was seriously considering withdrawing the US from Nato.
He told Politico on Friday he “couldn’t care less” about Nato, saying “they were they weren't there. I have no frustration. I couldn't care less.
“I didn't need them ... But if I ever did need them, they wouldn't be there. And we had a lot of money every year in NATO, so I learned a lot. So did the country, so did the United States, and NATO is -- NATO is a paper tiger.”
Trump: Federal government can't pay for daycare, funds are needed for war
Friday 3 April 2026 20:40 , Harriette BoucherIranian state media publishes photo said to show fragments of downed US jet
Friday 3 April 2026 20:20 , Harriette Boucher
Second US Air Force plane crashed in Persian Gulf region on Friday - report
Friday 3 April 2026 19:56 , Harriette BoucherA second Air Force combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday, two US officials told the New York Times.
According to the officials, the lone pilot was safely rescued from the A-10 Warthog attack plane, which went down near the Strait of Hormuz about the same time that an F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Iran.
Tehran rejects 48-hour US ceasefire proposal - Iranian media
Friday 3 April 2026 19:40 , Harriette BoucherTehran has reportedly rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire, an unnamed source told Iran's semi-official Fars news agency on Friday.
The source said the proposal was made on Wednesday through another country, which was not named.
There was no immediate comment or confirmation from the US.
Earlier, it was reported that Iran told mediators that the US’s demands are unreasonable and it is not willing to meet American officials in Islamabad in the coming days.
Trump budget includes $1.5 trillion in defense spending and cuts to domestic programs
Friday 3 April 2026 19:32 , Harriette BoucherPresident Donald Trump has officially unveiled his 2027 budget as he seeks to boost defence spending to $1.5 trillion, the largest such request in decades.
The sizeable increase for the Pentagon had been telegraphed by the Republican president even before the U.S.-led war against Iran.
The president's plan would also reduce spending on non-defence programs by 10% by shifting some responsibilities to state and local governments, reflecting his emphasis on U.S. military investments over domestic programs.
“President Trump promised to reinvest in America’s national security infrastructure, to make sure our nation is safe in a dangerous world,” wrote Budget Director Russell Vought.
The president’s annual budget is considered a reflection of the administration’s values and does not carry the force of law. The massive document typically highlights an administration’s priorities, but Congress, which handles federal spending issues, is free to reject it and often does.
Trump budget seeks $1.5T in defense spending alongside cuts to domestic programs
One dead after debris from intercepted attack hits Abu Dhabi gas site
Friday 3 April 2026 19:11 , Harriette BoucherOne Egyptian citizen was killed and four people suffered minor injuries after debris from an intercepted attack fell on Abu Dhabi's Habshan gas facilities on Friday, the country’s media office said.
The Egyptian was killed during the evacuation of the site, while four others - two Egyptians and two Pakistanis - sustained minor injuries, the media office said.
“Significant damage has occurred at the facilities and an assessment is ongoing,” it added.
Iranian citizens offered reward of £50,000 to hand over American F-15 pilot alive
Friday 3 April 2026 19:06 , Harriette BoucherResidents in Iran have been offered a reward if they hand over any “enemy pilot” to police following the downing of a US F-15 fighter jet.
Iranian state news issued pleas for citizens to search for and capture the pilot and hand them over to police alive.
Outlets have reported that the governor of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province promised a reward of 10 billion tomans (around £50,000) for anyone who hands over the “criminal American pilot”.
Iran's next step is to expel the US from the Middle East, defence official says
Friday 3 April 2026 18:46 , Harriette BoucherAn Iranian defence official has said its next step is to expel America from the Middle East, warning the US that Iran “will neither retreat under threat nor be swayed by clamour and empty shows”.
Ali Akbar Ahmadian said: “This region is our playing field, and responses are based on rational and realistic calculations, not Hollywood-style theatrics.
“The Islamic Revolution, in its first step, expelled America from Iran,” he said, adding that the second step was expelling US forces from the region.
Starmer’s cost of living tsar calls for fuel duty to be extended in light of Iran war
Friday 3 April 2026 18:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer's cost-of-living champion has urged the government to consider "extending" or "enlarging" the 5p fuel duty cut as the Middle East crisis deepens.
Oil prices, which have a significant effect on the cost of fuel, have soared in response to Iran’s stranglehold on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing up pump prices and piling pressure on the government to abandon a planned increase in fuel duty due in September.
Iceland boss Richard Walker, joined mounting calls for ministers to abandon the fuel duty hike.
Starmer’s cost of living tsar calls for fuel duty to be extended in light of Iran war
US-Iran talks stall as Tehran tells mediators America's demands are unreasonable - report
Friday 3 April 2026 18:25 , Harriette BoucherIran has told mediators that the US’s demands are unreasonable and it is not willing to meet American officials in Islamabad in the coming days.
Pakistan is leading efforts with the help of regional countries to reach a ceasefire between the US and Iran.
The mediators told the Wall Street Journal that Turkey and Egypt were still pushing to find a way forward and are considering new venues for the talks, including Doha, or Istanbul.
Starmer condemns 'reckless' Iranian attack on Kuwait oil refinery
Friday 3 April 2026 18:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer has condemned a "reckless" Iranian attack on an oil refinery in Kuwait and confirmed the deployment of Britain's rapid sentry air defence system to the Gulf country.
In a call with Kuwait's crown prince, the Prime Minister also discussed co-ordinated efforts to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz oil and gas shipping lane blockaded by Iran in retaliation for the US-Israeli campaign against it.
Tehran fired drones and missiles at targets across the Middle East overnight and on Friday, setting a refinery on fire and damaging a desalination plant in Kuwait.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran's bridges and electric power plants, saying the US military "hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran."
His comments came after a deadly US air strike on a major suspension bridge near Tehran, which the UN's humanitarian relief chief Tom Fletcher said constituted a breach of international law.
Israel postpones strikes on Iran amid search for F-15 fighter jet pilot - report
Friday 3 April 2026 18:00 , Harriette BoucherIsrael has postponed planned strikes on Iran as the US continues its search for the pilot from the downed F-15 fighter jet.
An Israeli official told CNN the attacks were being delayed so as not to interfere with the search and rescue efforts.
US citizens urged to leave Lebanon after fears Iran could target universities
Friday 3 April 2026 17:54 , Harriette BoucherThe US embassy in Beirut has urged citizens to leave Lebanon, saying that Iran and its aligned armed groups “may intend to target universities in Lebanon”.
In a security alert, the embassy told Americans to depart Lebanon “while commercial flight options remain available”.
One crew member rescued after US F-15 shot down over Iran while search continues for other pilot
Friday 3 April 2026 17:32 , Harriette BoucherWhy is the Strait of Hormuz so important? How the US-Iran war created a global oil and gas crisis
Friday 3 April 2026 17:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe world is facing a major fuel crisis as Iran continues to retain a firm grip over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route through which one fifth of the world’s oil and gas moves.
Why is the Strait of Hormuz so important? How US-Iran war created global fuel crisis
Iranian parliamentary speakers mocks search for F-15 fighter jet crew member
Friday 3 April 2026 17:28 , Harriette BoucherIran’s parliament speaker has mocked the downing of a F-15 fighter jet.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on social media: “After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?’
“Wow. What incredible progress. Absolute geniuses,” he added.
One crew member from the downed fighter jet has been rescued
Friday 3 April 2026 17:11 , Rebecca WhittakerOne crew member from the downed F-15 fighter jet has been rescued, CBS News reported.
The crew member was rescued by US forces, according to two officials.
A search-and-rescue operation was launched to locate two crew members after the F-15 fighter jet was downed.
Officials say the pilot ejected before the aircraft went down, but the condition and whereabouts of both individuals remain unknown US officials raced to recover the crew before Iranian forces can reach them.
Leading Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh detained in Tehran
Friday 3 April 2026 17:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainLeading Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was detained by Iranian intelligence agents at her house in Tehran overnight, her daughter said Thursday.
Prize-winning Nasrin Sotoudeh, 64, is renowned for defending activists, opposition politicians and women prosecuted for removing their headscarves. She has been imprisoned multiple times and is currently out on bail for health reasons.
Her husband, Reza Khandan, also a well-known activist, is currently imprisoned in Tehran's infamous Evin prison.
Read more here:
Leading Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh detained in Tehran
US fighter jet shot down over Iran as locals hunt for pilots who ejected, officials say
Friday 3 April 2026 16:40 , Rebecca WhittakerA U.S. fighter jet has been shot down over Iran, according to U.S. and Israeli officials as well as Iranian state-affiliated media, escalating already heightened tensions in the region.
A search-and-rescue operation is underway to locate two crew members. Officials say the pilot of the F-15E Strike Eagle ejected before the aircraft went down, but the condition and whereabouts of both individuals remain unknown. U.S officials are racing to recover the crew before Iranian forces can reach them.
US fighter jet shot down over Iran as locals hunt for pilots, officials say
Donald Trump has been briefed as US fighter jet shot down over Iran
Friday 3 April 2026 16:35 , Rebecca WhittakerThe White House said President Donald Trump has been briefed after a US fighter jet went down over Iran.
A search and rescue mission is currently underway to locate two crew members.
Officials say the pilot of the F-15E Strike Eagle ejected before the aircraft went down, but the condition and whereabouts of both individuals remain unknown. US officials are racing to recover the crew before Iranian forces can reach them.
UN chief tells Trump ‘war is not a game show’ after US bombs civilian targets in Iran
Friday 3 April 2026 16:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDonald Trump has been accused of treating the Iran conflict as a “game show” by a United Nations humanitarian chief after the US hit civilian targets in the country and threatened to “bomb Iran back to the Stone Ages”.
Tom Fletcher, the UN’s under secretary general for humanitarian affairs, has accused the US president of war crimes by bombing bridges and threatening further attacks on Iran’s infrastructure, and deplored the “reckless” nature of the conflict and its effect on ordinary people in Iran.
“War is not a game show; peace-making is not a real estate deal; the world is not a casino”, said Mr Fletcher, who worked for three former British prime ministers: Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
Millie Cooke our political correspondent reports:
UN chief tells Trump ‘war is not a game show’ after US bombs civilian targets
Trump delivers jaw-dropping and slurred Iran address that offers no end in sight to unpopular war
Friday 3 April 2026 16:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA weary President Donald Trump slurred his way through a disjointed national TV address Wednesday night in which he repeated the same justifications for his war with Iran that he’s been posting on social media throughout the month-long conflict.
The primetime speech, which pre-empted scheduled television programming on all broadcast networks at the request of the White House, had been billed as a major address in which Trump would finally lay out the justifications for the military action he started against Iran.
Trump was expected to finally provide details on how and when the conflict would end to an American populace that has grown tired of it.
Andrew Feinberg reports:
Trump slurs his way through jaw-dropping Iran war address with no clear end in sight
Netanyahu says US and Israel are 'continuing to crush the terrorist regime in Iran'
Friday 3 April 2026 15:50 , Maryam Zakir-HussainBenjamin Netanyahu said Israel and the US are “continuing to crush the terrorist regime in Iran” in a meeting in Tel Aviv.
He said: "Together with our American friends, we are continuing to crush the terrorist regime in Iran. We are eliminating commanders, and bombing bridges and infrastructure."
Italy's Meloni flies to Gulf region in energy security push
Friday 3 April 2026 15:26 , Maryam Zakir-HussainItalian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni flew to Saudi Arabia on Friday for a previously unannounced trip that will also include meetings in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, government sources said.
The sources said the visit would reaffirm Italy's support for the three nations in the face of Iranian attacks on their territories, and was also aimed at bolstering Italy's national energy security through closer engagement with Gulf producers.
It is the first trip to the region by a leader from the European Union since the conflict was launched by the United States and Israel at the end of February.
US Army chief of staff fired by Hegseth, sources say
Friday 3 April 2026 14:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUS Army Chief of Staff Randy George was fired on Thursday by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, three US defense officials told Reuters, a major staffing change that comes as the US military fights a major war in the Middle East.
Even as Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has moved quickly to reshape the department, firing the head of a military branch during wartime is extremely rare.
The Pentagon confirmed that George, who had more than a year left in his term, "will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately."
Two of the officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Hegseth has also fired General David Hodne, who leads the Army's Transformation and Training Command, and Major General William Green, head of the Army's Chaplain Corps.
George's removal adds to recent upheaval at all levels of leadership at the Pentagon, including the firing last year of the previous chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General C.Q. Brown, as well as the chief of naval operations and Air Force vice chief of staff.
The department did not give a reason for George's departure, which comes as the US military builds up its forces in the Middle East while carrying out operations against Iran.
French ship passes Strait of Hormuz in sign Iran may not view France as hostile nation
Friday 3 April 2026 14:22 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA container ship owned by French shipping group CMA CGM has successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting Iran may not view France as a hostile nation.
The Malta-flagged Kribi, owned by CMA CGM, crossed the Strait on 2 April, according to MarineTraffic data, marking the first French-owned vessel to pass through the channel since US-Israeli attacks targeting Iran began in late February.
The Strait, a critical maritime choke point, previously handled about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before recent conflicts effectively closed it.
French ship passes Strait of Hormuz in sign Iran may not view France as hostile
Trump: US can take Strait of Hormuz with more time
Friday 3 April 2026 13:47 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDonald Trump on Friday said the US can open the Strait of Hormuz with a little more time.
"With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL,& MAKE A FORTUNE," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The waterway is vital to global oil and gas shipping, and it was effectively closed by Iran in the wake of the US-Israeli attacks earlier on 28 February, with only Iranian ships and a few other vessels permitted to pass through, leaking to oil prices soaring.
In the last few days, the US president has suggested that countries that need the oil shipped through the waterway take military action themselves to ensure it is open, naming the United Kingdom specifically.
But he also said yesterday that the US will only consider a ceasefire with Iran "when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear".
Today, both a French and a Japanese tanker have been able to pass through, although that is a tiny fraction of the usual traffic.
Watch: Trump celebrates destruction of major bridge in Iran
Friday 3 April 2026 13:15 , Rebecca WhittakerHuman remains found on Thai-flagged cargo ship attacked in Strait of Hormuz
Friday 3 April 2026 13:00 , Rebecca WhittakerHuman remains were found aboard a Thai-flagged cargo vessel that was attacked last month in the Strait of Hormuz, the vessel’s owner and Thailand officials said.
The authorities were unable to immediately confirm the identities of the dead.
Thailand’s foreign ministry said search teams located the remains on the Thai-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree during a second boarding operation conducted under difficult conditions, including severe fire damage and flooding in the engine room, reported The Nation.
Human remains found on Thai-flagged cargo ship attacked in Strait of Hormuz
Starmer has condemned the 'reckless' Iranian attack on oil refinery
Friday 3 April 2026 12:45 , Rebecca WhittakerSir Keir Starmer has condemned the “reckless” Iranian attack that set an oil refinery ablaze in Kuwait, in a call with the country’s crown prince.
A Downing Street readout of the Friday conversation said: “The Prime Minister spoke to his highness the Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah this morning.
“The Prime Minister began by condemning the reckless overnight drone attack on a Kuwaiti oil refinery.
“He reiterated that the UK stands with Kuwait and all our allies in the Gulf.
“They discussed the deployment of the UK’s rapid sentry air defence system to Kuwait, which will protect Kuwaiti and British personnel and interests in the region, while avoiding escalation into wider conflict.
“Regarding ongoing disruption to global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the Prime Minister and crown prince welcomed the meeting convened by the Foreign Secretary yesterday on a viable plan to reopen the Strait.
“They agreed to continue to work together on this and stay in close contact over the coming weeks.”
Editorial: Losing a catastrophic war is no way for America to celebrate its 250th birthday
Friday 3 April 2026 12:35 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTo avert global recession, US allies are being forced to humiliate themselves and clean up after Donald Trump in the Middle East. Never has an American president wreaked such havoc on erstwhile friends.
Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, aptly characterised the situation in the Persian Gulf in her opening remarks to the virtual international summit on restoring access to the Strait of Hormuz: “We have seen Iran hijack an international shipping route to hold the global economy hostage.”
That is exactly what has happened – and she is also right to tell her counterparts in more than 40 nations that the decision was “reckless”.
However, Ms Cooper was also diplomatic, not to say supremely restrained, when she said that until only a matter of weeks ago, international shipping was moving freely through the now-famous Strait that links the Gulf to the Indian Ocean and beyond. It was only a war of choice launched by America and Israel that has led to the crisis in the first place.
Read more here:
Losing a catastrophic war is no way for America to celebrate its 250th birthday
Former CIA director calls Iran campaign 'a war of choice'
Friday 3 April 2026 12:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainFormer CIA Director Bill Burns has described the U.S.-Israeli war launched against Iran as "a war of choice" that may have only further empowered the most hard-line elements within its theocracy.
Burns, a former State Department diplomat, made the observation in a podcast by Foreign Affairs magazine.
"This is a regime that is inept at many things like managing its economy, but it is designed to preserve itself and designed to repress its own people and designed to withstand even the decapitation of its senior leadership," said Burns, who secretly negotiated with the Iranians ahead of the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers during the Obama administration.
Burns also disagreed with U.S. President Donald Trump's assessment that there had been a "regime change" in the airstrike campaign killing top leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"In some ways, it's certainly a much weaker regime, but it's also one that's even nastier and more radical and, you know, less open," he said.
He added that Iran's theocracy thought "victory is survival."
"I've believed for a long time that this is a regime that's on a kind of one-way street to its eventual collapse, but I worry that, you know, in this war, what we've done rather than accelerate that moment of collapse is slow it down a little bit," Burns said.
-French-owned CMA CGM container ship passes Strait of Hormuz, data shows
Friday 3 April 2026 11:55 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA container ship belonging to French shipping group CMA CGM has crossed through the Strait of Hormuz, MarineTraffic vessel tracking data shows, in a sign that Iran may not consider France a hostile nation.
The Malta-flagged Kribi, owned by CMA CGM, crossed the Strait on April 2 and is the first French-owned vessel to make it through the channel since U.S.-Israeli attacks began in Iran at the end of February.
Until the war led to the effective closure of the Strait, it was the route for about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
It was not immediately clear how the vessel, which the data shows is sailing south along the coast of Oman, secured safe passage. However, LSEG shipping data showed the vessel on Thursday changed its destination to "Owner France", signalling to Iranian authorities the nationality of its owner, before crossing the Strait's Iran's territorial waters.
The ship had originally been bound for Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo.
CMA CGM did not immediately respond to a request for comment. France's foreign ministry declined to comment.
Starmer condemns 'reckless overnight drone attack' on Kuwaiti oil refinery
Friday 3 April 2026 11:38 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Sir Keir Starmer condemned a "reckless overnight drone attack" on a Kuwaiti oil refinery on a call with the Crown Prince of Kuwait on Friday morning.
In a readout after the call, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “The prime minister spoke to His Highness the Crown Prince of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah this morning.“
The prime minister began by condemning the reckless overnight drone attack on a Kuwaiti oil refinery.
He reiterated that the UK stands with Kuwait and all our allies in the Gulf.
"They discussed the deployment of the UK’s Rapid Sentry air defence system to Kuwait, which will protect Kuwaiti and British personnel and interests in the region, while avoiding escalation into wider conflict."
The spokesperson added: “Regarding ongoing disruption to global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the prime minister and Crown Prince welcomed the meeting convened by the foreign secretary yesterday on a viable plan to reopen the Strait.
“They agreed to continue to work together on this and stay in close contact over the coming weeks.”
Iran claims to shoot down US fighter jet
Friday 3 April 2026 11:10 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIran has said a second US F-35 fighter jet has been shot down over Iran, with the state news agency saying it’s unlikely the pilot survived, Reuters has reported.
This is not the first time Iran has claimed to hit a US fighter jet, but so far, only one jet has been forced to make an emergency landing.
Last month, the US military said in a statement that a US F-35 aircraft conducted an emergency landing after flying a combat mission over Iran.
Putin spending much time on the escalating Middle East crisis, Kremlin says
Friday 3 April 2026 11:05 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRussian President Vladimir Putin is spending much time on the escalating Middle East crisis, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.
Nearly five weeks after it began with joint U.S.-Israeli air strikes, the war in Iran continues to destabilise the region and unsettle financial markets, piling pressure on President Donald Trump to bring the conflict to a swift end.
'There needs to be accountability for attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon'
Friday 3 April 2026 10:50 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIreland's foreign affairs minister has said there needs to be accountability for attacks on UN peacekeepers in south Lebanon.
Helen McEntee was speaking after it emerged here planned trip to the Middle East country had been cancelled due to concerns from Irish peacekeepers in the region.
"The trip was to coincide with my visit to Kyiv, to Ukraine, this week," she told RTE radio show Today With David McCullagh.
"But a decision was taken, and this was on the advice of the Defence Forces themselves, that it wasn't the appropriate time or the right time to do it, and I'm completely guided by them."
Ms McEntee said she intended to make a trip to Lebanon to visit Irish troops in order "to recognise the work that they do".
"Over the last number of years and decades they have done a fantastic job, in particular in supporting the Lebanese people," she said.
"What's heartbreaking, I think for all of us, is that in a very short space of time, decades of their work has been set back, essentially.
"We are seeing so much of the progress that has been made, years taken off it."
She said there was fire "from all sides", meaning from both Israel and militant group Hezbollah, and said she had told her EU counterparts that it was "not enough to condemn people firing directly at Unifil peacekeepers" and that "there has to be accountability".
UN chief tells Trump ‘war is not a game show’ after US bombs civilian targets in Iran
Friday 3 April 2026 10:39 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDonald Trump has been accused of treating the Iran conflict as a “game show” by a United Nations humanitarian chief after the US hit civilian targets in the country and threatened to “bomb Iran back to the Stone Ages”.
Tom Fletcher, the UN’s under secretary general for humanitarian affairs has accused the US president of war crimes by bombing bridges and threatening further attacks on Iran’s infrastructure, and deplored the “reckless" nature of the conflict and its effect on ordinary people in Iran.
"War is not a game show; peace making is not a real estate deal; the world is not a casino”, said Mr Fletcher, who worked for three former British prime ministers: Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
UN chief tells Trump ‘war is not a game show’ after US bombs civilian targets
Trump celebrates as major bridge in Iran cut in half by strike: ‘Make a deal before it’s too late’
Friday 3 April 2026 10:23 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Trump celebrates as major bridge in Iran cut in half by strike
Inside Javad Zarif's peace proposal
Friday 3 April 2026 09:58 , Maryam Zakir-HussainFormer Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif, who helped reach the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, made a peace proposal in Foreign Affairs magazine in a piece published Friday.
While Mr Zarif has no official position now in Iran's theocracy, he helped get reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian elected.
He also would not have been able to publish such a piece without at least running the positions past senior members of the country's theocracy.
While insisting Iran "is clearly winning" the war, he wrote that Tehran "should offer to place limits on its nuclear program and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to all sanctions — a deal Washington wouldn't take before but might accept now."
It remains unclear how Donald Trump would respond to such a pitch, particularly as Mr Zarif referred to Trump's close friend Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner as "completely illiterate on both geopolitics and nuclear technicalities."
Iran's ex-foreign minister shares peace plan for Iran on social media
Friday 3 April 2026 09:27 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIran’s former foreign minister Javad Zarif has shared his peace plan in a post on X, as he called for Iran to call victory and end the war.
He wrote: “As an Iranian, outraged by Donald Trump’s reckless aggression & crude insults, yet proud of our armed forces & resilient people, I am torn about publishing this peace-plan in Foreign Affairs. Yet I’m convinced that war must end on terms consistent with Iran’s national interests.”
As an Iranian, outraged by Donald Trump’s reckless aggression & crude insults, yet proud of our armed forces & resilient people, I am torn about publishing this peace-plan in Foreign Affairs. Yet I'm convinced that war must end on terms consistent with Iran’s national interests.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) April 3, 2026
Trump vows to hit more Iranian infrastructure as nations seek to open Hormuz
Friday 3 April 2026 09:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPresident Donald Trump said the US "hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran", reiterating vows to increase the ferocity of attacks on its infrastructure, as dozens of countries sought ways to restart vital energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Nearly five weeks after it started with a joint US-Israeli aerial assault, the war in Iran continues to spread chaos across the region and roil financial markets, raising the pressure on Trump to find a quick resolution to the conflict.
Trump has stepped up his rhetoric in recent days as negotiations conducted via intermediaries with new leaders in Iran show limited signs of progress and pessimism at home about the war grows.
The US military "hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants," Trump wrote on social media late on Thursday, adding that Iran's leadership "knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!"
He earlier posted video of the US bombing a newly constructed bridge between Tehran and nearby Karaj.
The B1 bridge was scheduled to open to traffic this year.
According to Iran's state media, eight people were killed and 95 others were wounded in the U.S. attack.
"Striking civilian structures, including unfinished bridges, will not compel Iranians to surrender," Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a statement.
French and South Korean leaders say they'll work together on the Strait of Hormuz
Friday 3 April 2026 08:38 , Maryam Zakir-HussainFrench President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung agreed Friday to work together to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease global economic uncertainties caused by the war in the Middle East.
Their summit in Seoul came as U.S. President Donald Trump slammed allies for not supporting the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. Macron was making his first visit to South Korea since taking office in 2017 as part of an Asian tour that already has taken him to Japan.
Macron told Lee at the start of the meeting that the two countries can play a role in helping to stabilize the situation in the Middle East, including the Strait of Hormuz, according to South Korean media.
French and South Korean leaders say they'll work together on the Strait of Hormuz
Kuwait oil refinery hit by drone attack
Friday 3 April 2026 08:17 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIranian drones have struck Kuwait's Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery Friday, sparking fires at the facility.
The state-run Kuwait Petroleum Corp. issued a statement on the attack, the third so far since the war began, and said firefighters were working to control the blazes. There were no injuries reported, the company said.
Former Iran top diplomat suggests terms to end war
Friday 3 April 2026 08:05 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran’s former top diplomat offered terms to see a ceasefire in the war with the US and Israel.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, who helped reach the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, made the proposal in Foreign Affairs magazine in a piece published today.
While Zarif has no official position now in Iran’s theocracy, he helped get reformist president Masoud Pezeshkian elected.
He also would not have been able to publish such a piece without at least running the positions past senior members of the country’s theocracy.
While insisting Iran “is clearly winning” the war, Zarif wrote that Tehran “should offer to place limits on its nuclear program and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to all sanctions — a deal Washington wouldn’t take before but might accept now.”
It remains unclear how US president Donald Trump would respond to such a pitch, particularly as Zarif referred to Trump’s close friend Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner as “completely illiterate on both geopolitics and nuclear technicalities".
UAE responding to missile and drone attacks
Friday 3 April 2026 07:58 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe defence ministry of the United Arab Emirates said it is battling a wave of new missile and drone attacks from Iran.
China Eastern Airlines to raise domestic fuel charges
Friday 3 April 2026 07:49 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarChina Eastern Airlines said this morning it will raise fuel surcharges for domestic flights from 5 April, adding to a list of Chinese airlines hiking fuel fees as the Iran war drags on.
The carrier will increase fuel surcharges for flights of 800km and below to 60 yuan ($8.72) and 120 yuan for those over 800 km, it said on its website.
Australia urges weekend motorists to refuel in cities
Friday 3 April 2026 07:10 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAustralian energy minister Chris Bowen today urged motorists getting away for a long weekend during the Easter holiday to fill up in cities because most of the nation’s fuel shortages are in rural areas.
Among 2,400 gas stations in New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, 182 had run out of diesel by Friday.
In Australia’s second-most populous state, Victoria, 76 gas stations were out of diesel. In the remaining states ranked by the most populous first, Queensland had 75 stations without diesel, Western Australia had 37, South Australia had 28 and in Tasmania there were seven.
“For those Australians planning a road trip this weekend, given our shortages are predominantly in rural and regional Australia, it makes sense to fill up in the city to help the country if you can,” Bowen said in Sydney.
The government, which blamed regional shortages on panic buying and distribution problems, is concentrating on delivering fuel to farmers for planting crops.
Oil prices surge to $111 a barrel
Friday 3 April 2026 07:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices continued to surge on worries of a prolonged Iran war but the Asian markets that were open today rose moderately in cautious trading, while others were closed for the Good Friday holidays.
Benchmark US crude rose 11.4 per cent to $111.54 a barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, jumped 7.8 per cent to $109.03 per barrel.
Leading Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh detained
Friday 3 April 2026 06:50 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarLeading Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was detained by Iranian intelligence agents at her house in Tehran overnight, her daughter said Thursday.
Prize-winning Nasrin Sotoudeh, 64, is renowned for defending activists, opposition politicians and women prosecuted for removing their headscarves. She has been imprisoned multiple times and is currently out on bail for health reasons.
Her husband, Reza Khandan, also a well-known activist, is currently imprisoned in Tehran's infamous Evin prison.
More here.
Leading Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh detained in Tehran
Trump mocks 'weak' Starmer as UK leads push to reopen strait
Friday 3 April 2026 06:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarDonald Trump has mocked Sir Keir Starmer as weak and had a fresh dig at the UK's navy as Britain led diplomatic efforts to try and reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz shipping lane, closed by the Iran war.
The US president impersonated the prime minister as he recounted Sir Keir saying he had to ask his team about sending "two old broken-down aircraft carriers" to the Middle East.
Trump said Britain "should be our best" ally, but had not been in his latest sideswipe over the UK's refusal to be drawn into the conflict with Tehran.
Earlier this week, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth rounded on Britain for failing to send warships to the region, saying "last time I checked there was supposed to be a big, bad Royal Navy that could be prepared to do things like that as well".
Their disparaging remarks come as the King, who is head of the armed forces, is due to travel to Washington later this month for a state visit to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Susie Wiles says Trump's aides are giving him ‘rose-colored view’ of Iran war
Friday 3 April 2026 06:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarWhite House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles has expressed concerns that aides are giving President Donald Trump “a rose-colored view” of the Iran war and its domestic impacts, according to a new report.
It’s been more than a month since the U.S. and Israel started launching strikes against Iran. Gas prices have soared in the U.S. to more than $4 a gallon on average, 13 American service members have died and more than 300 troops have been injured.
During his national address Wednesday night, Trump touted his perceived wins in a war he claims started because Iran was an imminent threat to Americans.
More here.
Fire at Kuwait's Mina al-Ahmadi refinery
Friday 3 April 2026 06:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarKuwait Petroleum Corporation said its Mina al-Ahmadi refinery was hit by drones early on Friday, setting off fires at operating units, according to the state news agency, but no injuries were reported.
Kuwait reported that its air defences were working to intercept missiles and drones twice this morning.
Iran says it downed F-35 jet
Friday 3 April 2026 06:10 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran says a US F-35 fighter jet has been shot down over central Iran, according to state media.
It reported that the pilot was unlikely to survive.
Pakistan hikes diesel and petrol prices
Friday 3 April 2026 06:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPakistan has raised diesel and petrol prices for the second time in under a month, as global oil costs climb amid the Middle East conflict.
The price of diesel has been raised by 54.9 per cent to 520.35 Pakistani rupees ($1.88) per litre, while petrol prices have gone up by 42.7 per cent to 458.40 Pakistani rupees ($1.65)per litre. The revised rates will take effect from Friday.
UN Security Council to vote tomorrow on Strait of Hormuz proposal
Friday 3 April 2026 05:54 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe UN Security Council is set to vote on a Bahraini resolution to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports.
Two diplomats said the meeting of the Council’s 15 members and the vote were set for Saturday morning.
Diplomats said Bahrain, the current chair of the Security Council, finalized a draft resolution seen by Reuters that would authorize “all defensive means necessary” to protect commercial shipping.
JP Morgan warns oil could top $150 if disruptions persist
Friday 3 April 2026 05:15 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices could spike to $120-$130 per barrel in the near term, with a risk of surging above $150 if supply flows through the Strait of Hormuz remain disrupted into mid-May, JP Morgan said.
JP Morgan's base-case assumption is that the disruption to the strait will ultimately be resolved through negotiations following a period of supply strain and inventory drawdowns.
Under this scenario, oil prices are expected to remain elevated above $100 a barrel through the second quarter. Prices are then forecast to retrace in the second half of 2026, driven by a partial reopening of the strait and some normalization of oil inventories, the note added.
JP Morgan warned that the size and duration of any price spike would be key in determining the severity of the broader macroeconomic shock, raising the risk of deppressed demand and a potential recession if high prices persist
Bangladesh cuts office hours to tackle energy crisis
Friday 3 April 2026 05:01 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarBangladesh is curtailing office hours and enforcing early closure of malls and shops beginning Friday to handle its energy crisis related to the war.
The country’s cabinet ordered 30 per cent spending cuts for fuel and power at government offices, suspended some staff training and stopped purchases of new vehicles, ships and aircraft. Decorative lighting will not be allowed for celebrations.
Bangladesh, a nation of 175 million people, is seeking alternative fuel sources and $2.5bn in external financing for imports, which account for 95 per cent of its fuel.
US military shares photos of USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier
Friday 3 April 2026 04:50 , Rachel DobkinUS Central Command has shared photos of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier used in its military campaign against Iran.
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) continues to conduct flight operations, both day and night. pic.twitter.com/5GfTA3VurY
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 3, 2026
People walk across Tabiat Bridge as Iranians celebrate Sizdah Bedar
Friday 3 April 2026 04:42 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US strikes on an Iranian bridge kill 8
Friday 3 April 2026 04:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAt least eight people were killed and about 95 people were injured in US strikes on an Iranian bridge, according to state media reports.
The strike hit people who had gathered under the bridge and along the riverbank to celebrate "Nature Day," Iran's state media said, citing authorities in Alborz province.
Donald Trump referenced the strike on the B1 bridge, which he called Iran's biggest, in a social media post saying "much more to follow".Iranian officials condemned the destruction of civilian infrastructure. The bridge was still under construction.
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the attack wouldn’t force Tehran to surrender. “It only conveys the defeat and moral collapse of an enemy in disarray,” he said.
"Every bridge and building will be built back stronger. What will never recover: damage to America’s standing."
Largest US aircraft carrier leaves Croatia
Friday 3 April 2026 04:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe largest American aircraft carrier in service sailed out of Split and "remains poised for full mission tasking in support of national objectives in any area of operation," the Navy's 6th Fleet announced.
It was unclear where it was going. It went to Croatia after a stop in Souda Bay, Greece, for repairs after a fire in its laundry room. It underwent further repairs in Croatia and saw its sailors take liberty while at port.
The Ford left Norfolk, Virginia, on 24 June last year, making its deployment one of the longest in Navy history.
If it heads to the Middle East, it would have to pass through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. Yemen's Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, have entered the war and begun firing on Israel, meaning the Ford could face fire from them.
The USS Abraham Lincoln remains in the Arabian Sea. The US military's Central Command said Friday that it "continues to conduct flight operations, both day and night.
"The USS George H W Bush aircraft carrier departed Norfolk on Wednesday to head to the Mideast.
Trump threatens to bomb bridges and power plants in Iran
Friday 3 April 2026 04:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIn a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump wrote: "Our Military, the greatest and most powerful (by far!) anywhere in the World, hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran.
"Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!"
Iranian Red Crescent says more than 2,000 people in Iran killed in war
Friday 3 April 2026 04:00 , Rachel DobkinThe Iranian Red Crescent said Tuesday that more than 2,000 people in Iran have been killed in the ongoing war.
“In less than a month, more than 2,000 people have been killed, including women and children, and at least 21,000 injured”, the humanitarian group wrote in a news release. “Many families have been forced to flee their homes, with an estimated 3 per cent of Iran’s population of around 92 million now internally displaced”.
Iran says its drafting proposal to 'monitor' Strait of Hormuz with Oman: report
Friday 3 April 2026 03:30 , Rachel DobkinIranian diplomat Kazem Gharibabadi has said the country is drafting a proposal to “monitor' the Strait of Hormuz with Oman, the Associated Press reported, citing Iranian state media.
The proposal is “intended to facilitate and ensure safe passage and provide better services to ships passing through this route”, Gharibabadi said.
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of the world’s oil, amid the growing conflict in the region.
“Naturally, when we face an act of aggression, navigation encounters serious problems, and this is the result of the aggressive act”, the diplomat said. “We are currently at war and cannot expect pre-war rules to govern wartime conditions”.
In pictures: People gather in Tehran during 'Nature Day' as the Iran war drags on
Friday 3 April 2026 03:00 , Rachel DobkinPeople gathered in Tehran Tuesday during “Nature Day” as the Iran war dragged on.
Iran still has about half of its missile launchers, despite Trump claiming its military capabilities have been 'dramatically curtailed': report
Friday 3 April 2026 02:30 , Rachel DobkinIran still reportedly has about half of its missile launchers, despite US President Donald Trump claiming its military capabilities have been “dramatically curtailed”.
About half of Iran’s missile launchers are still intact, three sources familiar with recent US intelligence assessments told CNN.
It’s unclear how many of these launchers are currently accessible to Iran.
Iran also still has thousands of drones, according to two of the sources.
The new reporting comes after Trump claimed in an address to his nation that Iran’s “ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed”.
US military denies Iran's claim that an 'enemy' fighter jet was downed over Strait of Hormuz
Friday 3 April 2026 02:00 , Rachel DobkinThe US military has denied Iran's claim that an “enemy” fighter jet was downed over the Strait of Hormuz.
“All U.S. fighter aircraft are accounted for. Iran's IRGC has made the same false claim at least half a dozen times,” US Central Command wrote on social media.
🚫 CLAIM: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it downed an "enemy" fighter jet over Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 2, 2026
✅ FACT: All U.S. fighter aircraft are accounted for. Iran's IRGC has made the same false claim at least half a dozen times. pic.twitter.com/bN7HJdLxEr
Most people think Iran war will take months to end, according to Polymarket
Friday 3 April 2026 01:30 , Rachel DobkinA majority of people on Polymarket, which describes itself as the world’s largest prediction market, bet that the Iran war will take months to end.
When asked when a ceasefire between the US and Iran will happen, 57 percent say June 30 and 71 percent say December 31.
CENTCOM shows off military aircraft in 'Operation Epic Fury'
Friday 3 April 2026 01:00 , Rachel DobkinUS Central Command has shown off the aircraft used in its military campaign against Iran, which it has dubbed “Operation Epic Fury”.
U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-46 Pegasus aircraft extend the reach of fighter jets and bombers by refueling them mid-flight during Operation Epic Fury. pic.twitter.com/hsWHWb5OuW
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 2, 2026
UN Security Council proposal would allow countries to defend ships in Strait of Hormuz: report
Friday 3 April 2026 00:30 , Rachel DobkinA UN Security Council proposal from Bahrain would allow countries to defend ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil waterway that Iran has effectively closed amid the growing conflict in the Middle East, according to a new report.
The draft resolution authorizes member states to use defensive measures to secure the passage of ships through the strait, CNN, which obtained a copy of the proposal, reported.
The Security Council is expected to vote on the resolution Friday, a Gulf official told CNN.
Iranian bridge attack kills 8, injures 95: report
Friday 3 April 2026 00:00 , Rachel DobkinStrikes on what US President Donald Trump called Iran’s biggest bridge have killed 8 people and injured 95 more, the Associated Press reported, citing Iranian state media.
The AP said the bridge was still under construction.
Trump wrote in all caps on Truth Social, “It is time for Iran to make a deal before it is too late, and there is nothing left of what still could become a great country!”
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said on X attacks on civilian infrastructure “will not compel Iranians to surrender”.
Trump branded a 'loser' in Iranian AI propaganda rap music video
Thursday 2 April 2026 23:25 , Harriette BoucherReport: 'Strait of Hormuz will be closed to US and Israel long-term', Iran says
Thursday 2 April 2026 23:04 , Harriette BoucherIran’s armed forces spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi has said the Strait of Hormuz will be closed “long term” to the US and Israel, Iranian media has reported.
Donald Trump said earlier today that the US would not be importing any oil through the Strait in the future.
“The United States imports almost no oil through the Hormuz Strait and won't be taking any in the future, we don't need it. We haven't needed it and we don't need it.
“The countries of the world that do receive oil through the Hormuz strait must take care of that passage.
“They must cherish it. They must grab it and cherish it, they can do it easily. We will be helpful, but they should take the lead in protecting the oil that they so desperately depend on.”
'Hollywood delusions have misled the US with their paltry 250-year history'
Thursday 2 April 2026 22:46 , Harriette BoucherHollywood delusions have misled US officials into believing they can threaten Iran with their “paltry 250-year history,” the aerospace force commander for the Revolutionary Guards said.
Seyed Majid Mousavi said: “It is you who are taking your soldiers to their graves, not Iran, whom you seek to drag back to the Stone Age.
“Hollywood delusions have so poisoned your minds that, with your paltry 250-year history, you threaten a civilisation over 6,000 years old.”
It comes in response to earlier comments Donald Trump, in which he said US forces will keep hitting Iran “extremely hard over the next two or three weeks” and bring the country “back to the Stone Ages”.
Also responding to the comments, Iran's mission to the United Nations said on X that Trump's comment “reflects ignorance, not strength”.
“Iran’s civilisation spans more than 7,000 years, whereas the U.S. is scarcely 250 years old. Civilisations are defined by their history, culture, resilience, and scientific contributions.
“The world remains indebted to the civilisation and knowledge that Iranian scholars have bestowed upon humanity for millennia. Such a civilisation cannot be destroyed by bombing.”
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth reportedly removes top uniformed officer from Army as US wages war in Iran
Thursday 2 April 2026 22:28 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s US reporter Josh Marcus reports:
The Army’s top general will be retiring immediately, according to the Defense Department, amid the ongoing war with Iran.
The Pentagon announced Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George’s departure on X.
“The Department of War is grateful for General George’s decades of service to our nation,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell wrote. “We wish him well in his retirement.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly demanded George’s resignation.
The apparent ouster comes as the U.S. continues to battle Iran.
Pete Hegseth reportedly removes top Army general as US wages war in Iran
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website
