Donald Trump confirmed that both crew members of an F-15 jet downed over Iran had been rescued, saying the back-to-back operations were the first time in military memory that two US pilots had been retrieved separately from inside enemy territory.
“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 US History,” the president posted on Truth Social late Saturday night.
The desperate race to find the second F-15 crew member had been ongoing for almost three days after the aircraft was shot down on Friday while undertaking military operations in Iran.
Iranian authorities had offered a bounty to anyone who handed over the missing pilot alive, according to state television. White House officials had remained largely silent on the search.
Meanwhile, the president said earlier Iran had 48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz before “all hell” would rain down on the country but appeared to confuse the spelling of “rain down” with “reign down” in his online threat.
He later shared footage of a “massive” strike in Tehran, which he claimed had “terminated” several Iranian military leaders.
Key Points
- ‘WE GOT HIM’: Trump declares success after US airman shot down in Iran rescued
- Trump shares footage of 'massive' strike that 'terminated' military leaders in Tehran
- Trump says Iran has 48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz or 'all Hell will reign down'
- Iran allows essential goods vessels to its ports via Strait of Hormuz
- Area around nuclear power plant hit, Iran says
Karoline Leavitt hails rescue of both F-15 crew members from Iran
06:00 , Stuti MishraWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she was "proud of our troops, proud of our President, proud to be an American," after Donald Trump confirmed both crew members of an F-15 jet downed over Iran had been rescued in what he called the most daring search and rescue operations in US military memory.
Proud of our troops. Proud of our President. Proud to be an American. 🇺🇸
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) April 5, 2026
Full story: ‘WE GOT HIM’: Trump declares success after US airman shot down in Iran rescued
05:48 , Stuti MishraA missing U.S. service member who was shot down in Iran has been rescued, Donald Trump has announced.
“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,” the president posted on Truth Social late Saturday night.
Here's the full story -
‘WE GOT HIM’: Trump declares success after US airman shot down in Iran rescued
Trump confirms both F-15 crew members rescued from Iran, hails 'most daring' operations
05:40 , Stuti MishraDonald Trump confirmed that both crew members of an F-15 jet downed over Iran had been rescued, saying the back-to-back operations were the first time in military memory that two US pilots had been retrieved separately from inside enemy territory.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the second airman, a colonel, had been recovered from "the treacherous mountains of Iran" after being hunted by Iranian forces. He said the officer sustained injuries but would recover. Trump added that the first rescue, carried out the previous day, had been deliberately withheld from public confirmation to avoid compromising the second mission.
"This is the first time in military memory that two US pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in enemy territory," Trump wrote. He said both operations had been completed without a single American killed or wounded, calling it proof of "overwhelming air dominance and superiority over the Iranian skies."
US rescues second airman from F-15 downed over Iran - report
05:19 , Stuti MishraThe United States has rescued the second crew member of an F-15 jet brought down over Iran, two US officials have told Reuters.
The officials did not provide further details on the rescue, according to the news agency. The Pentagon has not publicly confirmed the rescue.
Iran said on Friday its air defences had shot down the aircraft. Reports indicated that the first of the two-person crew had already been recovered. The fate of the second airman had not been confirmed until Saturday.
Satellite firm Planet Labs to withhold Iran war images indefinitely after US government request
05:10 , Stuti MishraPlanet Labs, one of the world's largest commercial satellite imaging companies, will indefinitely withhold images of Iran and the broader Middle East conflict zone after the US government asked all satellite imagery providers to restrict access to visuals of the region.
The California-based firm, which operates a large fleet of Earth-imaging satellites and sells frequently updated images to governments, companies and media organisations, announced the decision in an email to customers on Saturday. It said it would withhold imagery dating back to 9 March and expected the policy to remain in effect until the conflict ends. The restriction expands on a 14-day delay on Middle East imagery the company had imposed last month, which it said was intended to prevent adversaries from using the images to attack the US and its allies.
Under the new system, Planet Labs said it would switch to a managed distribution model, releasing imagery on a case-by-case basis for urgent, mission-critical requirements or where there was a clear public interest. "These are extraordinary circumstances, and we are doing all we can to balance the needs of all our stakeholders," the firm said in its customer email.
The move cuts off a significant source of independent visual intelligence about the conflict. Satellite imagery is used by journalists and researchers to document activity in hard-to-reach areas, as well as by military operators for target identification, weapons guidance, missile tracking and communications. Some space specialists have said Iran could be accessing commercial imagery through US adversaries.
Another major provider, Vantor, formerly Maxar Technologies, told Reuters it had not been contacted by the US government but had independently applied enhanced access controls for parts of the Middle East. Those controls can include limits on who can request new images or purchase existing pictures of regions where the US military and its allies are actively operating or being targeted.
Iranian drones knock out Kuwait power units and hit oil ministry headquarters as Gulf strikes widen
04:50 , Stuti MishraIranian drones struck Kuwait's oil ministry headquarters, two power and water desalination plants and a government ministry complex in coordinated attacks early this morning, causing significant material damage but no casualties, Kuwaiti state media reported.
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said a fire broke out at its Shuwaikh complex, which houses both the oil ministry and KPC headquarters, after a drone strike.
A separate attack on an office complex for government ministries caused significant material damage, the finance ministry said.
Two power generation units were taken out of service after drones targeted the power and water desalination plants, the electricity and water ministry said.
No injuries were reported in any of the incidents. Iran has not commented on the strikes.
The attacks mark a widening of Tehran's campaign against Gulf Arab states hosting US military installations, now in its sixth week. Kuwait, which hosts several US bases, has been among the Gulf states repeatedly targeted since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz following US and Israeli strikes last month.
Iranian NGO releases latest civilian death tallies
04:30 , Mike BediganThe Human Rights Activists News Agency, an Iranian NGO, has released its latest tallies on the number of civilian deaths from the ongoing conflict.
The group recorded at least 272 attacks in 14 provinces on Saturday, with at least 184 people injured or killed.
Saturday’s attacks bring civilian deaths to at least 1,616, based on the group’s tally.
In addition, there have been 1,213 military fatalities, and 711 fatalities that are unclassified.
US and Iranian forces continue to race to find downed F-15 pilot
04:00 , Mike BediganU.S. and Iranian forces continue to race to find the missing pilot of a downed F-15 crew, with unconfirmed reports of a U.S. rescue mission on the ground in Iran emerging Saturday.
The fighter jet was shot down Friday while conducting operations behind Iranian lines.
Iranian authorities reportedly offering locals around £50,000 to anyone who hands over the missing pilot alive, it was announced on state television.
White House officials have remained largely silent so far on the search for the crew member, though the situation remains tense.
“Everybody in the world cares about that service member and getting them home safely – and how it will affect the war,” a source told The Washington Post Saturday.
Speculation online as to Trump's whereabouts as war enters 37th day
03:34 , Mike BediganRumors have swirled online about the whereabouts of Donald Trump, with White house official firmly denying that his absence is health related.
The president has not been seen publicly since his appearance at the Supreme Court on Wednesday and national address that night. He is staying at the White House through Easter weekend, rather than at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, and does not have any public events scheduled.
The president’s official schedule lists “Executive time” at 8 a.m. Sunday, followed by a “Family Easter Dinner” along with the First Lady at 7 p.m.
Members of the Trump administration have downplayed speculation over this absence, saying that the president is working “nonstop.”
Meanwhile the race to find a downed U.S. fighter pilot continues, as well as ongoing speculation about a possible deployment of American troops on the ground in Iran.
Power plants in Kuwait attacked by Iranian drones, authorities say
03:04 , Mike BediganKuwaiti authorities have claimed two power and water desalination plants have been attacked by Iranian drones, Reuters reports.
The attacks have resulted in “significant” material damage to the infrastructure, and put two power generation units out of service.
Unconfirmed reports allege US forces carrying out rescue mission for missing pilot
02:00 , Mike BediganUnconfirmed Iranian media reports allege U.S. military forces are carrying out a rescue mission for the pilot of the downed F-15 WSO, who remains missing.
Images on social media report helicopters and strikes in the area, though The Independent is not able to independently confirm the reports.
Major satellite imaging company withholding images of Iran after request from US government
01:30 , Mike BediganSatellite imaging company Planet Labs says it is withholding its imagery over Iran and the regions affected by the conflict indefinitely, citing a request from the U.S. government.
“These are extraordinary circumstances, and we are doing all we can to balance the needs of all our stakeholders. We will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as possible to minimize the impact on data availability to our customers,” Planet Labs said in a statement to customers.
The company added that the hold, starting retroactively from March 9, was likely to last “through the end of the conflict.”
Satellite images are typically used by journalists and other researchers to assist with reporting.
Such images were vital in assessing before and after situations in conflict zones, such as the bombing of the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, Iran, on February 28 by U.S. forces.
The attack killed over 150 people.
Watch: Trump shares footage of 'massive' strike on Tehran
01:05 , Mike BediganIranian state media reports 3 dead after strikes in region where US pilot is missing
Sunday 5 April 2026 00:50 , Mike BediganIranian state media has reported that airstrikes in southwest Iran have killed at least three people and wounded several others.
The attack took place in the same area where a missing American crew member is believed to be.
Iranian officials warn that region will 'become hell' if US attacks continue
Sunday 5 April 2026 00:35 , Mike BediganIranian military officials have said that the region will “become hell” should U.S. forces expand their “hostilities.”
“Do not forget: if hostilities expand, the entire region will become hell for you,” said Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters in Tehran.
“The illusion of defeating the Islamic Republic of Iran has turned into a swamp that will engulf you.”
His comments were reported by the government-sponsored Mehr News Agency Saturday, as Donald Trump confirmed a “massive attack” on Tehran.
Major General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, the commander of Khatam al-Anbiya also warned that the “gates of hell will be opened upon you” if U.S. attacks continued, the outlet added.
Trump won’t say what US will do if missing pilot in Iran is harmed: ‘We hope that’s not going to happen’
Sunday 5 April 2026 00:10 , Mike BediganAs U.S. and Israeli forces search for an F-15 crew 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.
Andrew Feinberg has this exclusive report:
Trump won’t say what US will do if missing pilot harmed in Iran
Fire erupts in Kuwait's Shuwaikh oil sector complex after drone attack - report
Saturday 4 April 2026 23:48 , Harriette BoucherKuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) said a fire erupted in the Shuwaikh oil sector complex after a drone attack, with no injuries reported, the Kuwaiti state news agency reported early on Sunday.
Emergency and firefighting teams were dealing with the fire, it added.
Kuwait’s army said it was intercepting “hostile missile and drone attacks”.
Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Easter vigil, calls for harmony and peace in a world torn by war
Saturday 4 April 2026 23:31 , Harriette Boucher
Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Easter vigil, calls for harmony and peace in a world torn by war
Kuwait intercepting missile and drone attacks
Saturday 4 April 2026 23:15 , Harriette BoucherKuwait’s army has said it is intercepting “hostile missile and drone attacks”.
It follows an announcement earlier today that it responded to eight ballistic missiles and 19 hostile drones with Kuwaiti airspace.
“The general staff of the army notes that if explosion sounds are heard, they are the result of air defence systems intercepting the hostile attacks,” the army said.
“Everyone is requested to adhere to the security and safety instructions issued by the competent authorities.”
IDF warns residents of southern Lebanon village to 'evacuate immediately'
Saturday 4 April 2026 23:03 , Harriette BoucherThe Israeli Defence Force has told residents of southern Lebanon’s Kfar Hatta to leave the area immediately.
IDF Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said: “Hezbollah activities are forcing the Defence Army to take strong action against it. The Defence Army does not intend to harm you.
Residents have been told to evacuate at least 100 metres from the village.
“Anyone near Hezbollah elements, their facilities, and combat means is putting their life in danger,” he added.
Watch: Trump shares footage of 'massive' strike he claims 'terminated' military leaders in Tehran
Saturday 4 April 2026 22:36 , Harriette BoucherSearch for US pilot is now a 'game of cat and mouse', says former RAF pilot
Saturday 4 April 2026 22:27 , Harriette BoucherA former RAF pilot shot down during the Gulf War said the search for the US pilot in Iran is now a “game of cat and mouse”.
John Peters spoke to Sky News about the experience of having to eject from a fighter plane over enemy territory.
Speaking about the pilot still missing in Iran after an F-15 fighter jet was downed yesterday, he said: “It is a game of cat and mouse. The US forces have got to find their colleague and they’ll have the combat search-and-rescue squadrons who will do that and plan how to get that person out.
“As you can imagine the Iranians will be saturating the area as best they because this is now a political game because this gives them huge leverage.”
Mr Peters added: “The Americans are unbelievably good at combat search-and-rescue and have huge resources behind it, but the Iranians, it’s there land, they know their land. It’s a very contained moment in a very constricted space.”
Polymarket pulls bet on fate of US pilot missing in Iran amid uproar: ‘Dystopian death market’
Saturday 4 April 2026 22:05 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s Rhian Lubin reports:
TPrediction market giant Polymarket pulled a bet on the fates of the U.S. pilots who were shot down in Iran after uproar led by a Democratic congressman who branded the company a “dystopian death market.”
One pilot from the F-15 Strike Eagle was rescued after the warplane was shot down on Friday, but the other remains missing. There had been no update from the Trump administration on the missing fighter pilot as of Saturday.
A screenshot posted Friday by Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, a veteran who served in Iraq, showed that Polymarket was taking wagers on when the “U.S. confirms pilots rescued by…?”
Polymarket said it removed the bet “immediately” in response to Moulton and others who shared their outrage.
“There is an ongoing search and rescue operation for a missing American service member whose plane was shot down over Iran. Their safety is unknown,” Moulton said. “They could be your neighbor, a friend, a family member. And people are betting on whether or not they'll be saved. This is DISGUSTING.”
Polymarket pulls bet on fate of US pilot missing in Iran amid uproar
Trump shares footage of 'massive' strike that 'terminated' military leaders in Tehran
Saturday 4 April 2026 21:52 , Harriette BoucherDonald Trump has shared a video of a “massive” strike in Tehran, which he claims “terminated” many of Iran’s military leaders.
“Many of Iran’s Military Leaders, who have led them poorly and unwisely, are terminated, along with much else, with this massive strike in Tehran! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote on Truth Social.
In pictures: People gather in London to protest against the Iranian government
Saturday 4 April 2026 21:40 , Harriette Boucher
Iran tells US: 'The entire region will turn into a hell for you'
Saturday 4 April 2026 21:20 , Harriette BoucherIran has told US that the entire Middle Eastern region will become hell for them if escalation continues.
“Do not forget that if aggression expands, the entire region will turn into a hell for you,” a spokesperson told Iranian media.
“The illusion of defeating the Islamic Republic of Iran has turned into a swamp in which you will sink.”
It comes after comments from Donald Trump today, in which he “all hell” will rain down on Iran it it does not open the Strait of Hormuz.
US politics Rubio revokes visas and green cards of at least four Iranian nationals
Saturday 4 April 2026 21:00 , Harriette Boucher
Niece of senior Iranian official Trump had assassinated arrested by ICE in LA
Recap: What we know about Iran's attacks on US aircraft
Saturday 4 April 2026 20:40 , 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 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.
Trump declares 'evil won't prevail' in Easter message as Iran war rages on
Saturday 4 April 2026 20:20 , Harriette BoucherTrump to meet Nato chief after threatening to withdraw US from alliance
Saturday 4 April 2026 20:00 , 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 this week 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.”
Israel strikes petrochemical plant in Iran
Saturday 4 April 2026 19:46 , Harriette BoucherBenjamin Netanyahu said Israel has struck an Iranian petrochemical plant after hitting steel facilities used to make basic materials for weapons.
Iranian media reported that five people were killed in an attack on the Mahshahr Petrochemical Zone.
“After we destroyed 70 per cent of its ability to create steel, which is used as the raw material for the weapons used against us,” Netanyahu said, “today we attacked their petrochemical factories”.
“These two things are their money machine, which funds their war of terror against us and against the world.
“We will continue to hit them, as I promised.”
Editorial: ‘Time is running out’: Donald Trump spoke more truth than he knew
Saturday 4 April 2026 19:04 , Harriette BoucherUS president Donald Trump seemed uncharacteristically reluctant to talk when The Independent asked him what he would do if the missing American officer were captured or harmed by Iranians. “Well, I can’t comment on it, because...” he said, “we hope that’s not going to happen.”
His reticence might be explained by memories of the Iranian hostage crisis 47 years ago, when a young Mr Trump criticised Jimmy Carter for failing to rescue American diplomats taken hostage during the Islamic Revolution.
“That they hold our hostages is just absolutely and totally ridiculous; that this country sits back and allows a country such as Iran to hold our hostages, to my way of thinking, is a horror,” the 34-year-old Mr Trump said in a recently rediscovered interview.
‘Time is running out’: Donald Trump spoke more truth than he knew
Israel waiting for US green light as it prepares to attack Iranian energy sites, official says
Saturday 4 April 2026 18:51 , Harriette BoucherIsrael is reportedly waiting for the green light from the US as it prepares to attack energy facilities in Iran, a senior Israeli defence official said on Saturday.
The official said any such attacks would likely come within the next week.
It follows a reminder from Donald Trump to Iran on Saturday that “time is running out” on its 10-day deadline for the country to re-open the Strait of Hormuz.
The US president has warned of potential destruction of its energy plants if it fails to comply with the demands.
He said today that Iran has 48 hours to open the key shipping route before “all hell” will rain on them.
Recap: Iran allows essential goods vessels to its ports via Hormuz strait
Saturday 4 April 2026 18:40 , Rebecca WhittakerIran has authorised the passage of vessels carrying essential goods to its ports through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a letter cited by Iran's Tasnim news agency on Saturday.
The letter indicates that ships heading to Iranian ports, including those currently in the Gulf of Oman, must coordinate with authorities and comply with established protocols to transit the strait, Tasnim said.
Iran has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about a fifth of the world's total oil trade, in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks that began on February 28.
Trump gushes over his policies – ‘Thank you Mr. Tariff!’ – as desperate search continues for US pilot missing in Iran
Saturday 4 April 2026 18:40 , Harriette BoucherThe Independent’s Rhian Lubin reports:
President Donald Trump touted the success of his own policies and complained about the “fake news” on Truth Social Saturday, as a desperate search continues for the missing U.S. pilot shot down in Iran.
Trump’s tone on Truth Social Saturday morning ranged from fuming about the media and leveling new threats against Iran, to jauntily celebrating his trade tariffs amid soaring gas prices.
“THANK YOU MR. TARIFF!” he crowed in one post.
While he has been active on his social media platform, the president has kept a relatively low profile since reports of the missing U.S. airman broke on Friday, and the last time he spoke publicly was late Wednesday in an address to the nation about the war.
“Not only were the jobs numbers GREAT yesterday, 178,000 new jobs, but the TRADE DEFICIT was down 55%, the biggest drop in history. THANK YOU MR. TARIFF!” Trump celebrated in one of the posts. “All of this and, simultaneously, getting rid of a Nuclear Iran. MAGA!!!” he added.
Trump gushes over his policies as search continues for US pilot missing in Iran
Lindsay Graham convinced a 'massive military operation' awaits Iran if it does not open Hormuz Strait
Saturday 4 April 2026 18:29 , Harriette BoucherUS senator Lindsay Graham said he is “completely convinced” that Donald Trump will use “overwhelming military force” against Iran if continues to block the Strait of Hormuz.
His comments come after the two spoke on the phone on Saturday morning.
“A massive military operation awaits Iran if they choose poorly.
“If it’s not clear to Iran and others by now that President Trump means what he says then I don’t know when it will ever be.”
The US president said Iran has 48 hours to open the key shipping route before “all hell” will rain on them.
Mr Graham expressed his “total support” for Trump’s ultimatum.
Watch: One crew member rescued after US F-15 shot down over Iran while search continues for other pilot
Saturday 4 April 2026 18:20 , Rebecca WhittakerIran says Iraq exempt from any Strait of Hormuz restrictions
Saturday 4 April 2026 18:17 , Harriette BoucherIran's Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command said Iraq would be exempt from any restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported on Saturday.
The move signals preferential treatment for Baghdad as Tehran tightens control over the strategic waterway.
Iran without internet for five weeks
Saturday 4 April 2026 18:00 , Rebecca WhittakerIran has not had access to the global internet for five weeks, with users cut off for 36 days.
There are some government-approved sites and pro-establishment figures still online, Sky News reported.
However, for citizens connecting to the internet using satellite services such as Starlink risks up to two years in prison.
Watch: Trump declares 'evil won't prevail' in Easter message as Iran war rages on
Saturday 4 April 2026 17:40 , Rebecca WhittakerTrump’s ‘Stone Ages’ threat against Iran harks back to a notorious Vietnam War declaration
Saturday 4 April 2026 17:20 , Rebecca WhittakerPresident’s channeling of legendary Strategic Air Command boss Curtis LeMay in his bomb Iran ‘back to the Stone Ages’ rhetoric is part of a longstanding campaign to delegitimize modern laws of war ... but ignores LeMay’s own judgments that his preferred tactics would be war crimes, Andrew Feinberg writes.
Read more here:
Trump’s ‘Stone Ages’ Iran vow harks back to notorious Vietnam War threat
EU should end sanctions on Russian oil and gas imports, Slovakia's Prime Minister says
Saturday 4 April 2026 17:00 , Rebecca WhittakerThe EU should end sanctions on Russian oil and gas imports, take steps to restore Druzhba oil pipeline flows and end the war in Ukraine to tackle the energy crisis stemming from the war in Iran, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said.
It comes as oil tankers and cargo ships have been impacted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz - a waterway in the Persian Gulf through which around a fifth of the world’s oil passes - causing oil and fuel prices to soar.
Fico said the statement after a call with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. But Hungary and Slovakia's leaders are outliers in the EU for maintaining relations with Moscow.
The EU was importing just 1 per cent of its oil from Russia by the final quarter of 2025, having slashed imports since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Hungary and Slovakia were the only two EU countries still importing Russian oil by January 27.
Trump ‘probably in panic mode’ over US jets shot down and missing pilot in Iran, says his former national security adviser
Saturday 4 April 2026 16:40 , Rebecca WhittakerPresident Donald Trump is “probably in panic mode” over the missing U.S. pilot in Iran and two downed aircraft, according to John Bolton, his former national security adviser-turned fierce critic.
Two American warplanes were shot down in separate incidents Friday as a search and rescue mission was launched to find the F-15 crew member who was forced to eject. An A-10 attack plane was reportedly hit in the Persian Gulf region, and the pilot was rescued after making it to Kuwaiti airspace, officials said.
Trump has not been seen publicly since he addressed the nation late Wednesday, but he warned Iran that “time is running out” in a Truth Social post Saturday morning.
Trump ‘probably in panic mode’ over missing pilot in Iran, says John Bolton
In Pictures: Protest against the Iranian government in London
Saturday 4 April 2026 16:20 , Rebecca WhittakerTrump’s relationship with Starmer ‘significantly damaged’ in Iran war fallout
Saturday 4 April 2026 16:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer has been warned that his relationship with Donald Trump may be irrevocably damaged following another series of scathing remarks by the US president.
Kim Darroch, the former national security adviser, and a former British ambassador to the US, said the prime minister was “right to resist getting directly involved in Mr Trump’s Iran “war of choice”.
“But it has unquestionably done significant damage to his personal relationship with Trump,” he told The Guardian, adding that a “damaged Trump” could “lash out” with more tariffs.
Trump’s relationship with Starmer ‘significantly damaged’ in Iran war fallout
US agents arrest niece of Iran's Qassem Soleimani after Rubio revoked green card
Saturday 4 April 2026 15:59 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUS federal agents have arrested the niece and grand-niece of late Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani after Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked their lawful permanent resident status, the State Department said on Saturday.
"Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement," the State Department said in a statement after Rubio revoked their green cards.
Trump says Iran has 48 hours to open Strait of Hormuz before “all Hell” will rain down on them
Saturday 4 April 2026 15:38 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPresident Donald Trump threatened to “reign down hell” on Iran within 48 hours unless the country opens the Strait of Hormuz.
“Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!” Trump said in a Truth Social post Saturday.
Trump’s latest threat against the Iranian regime comes as the search for a missing U.S. fighter pilot continues after an F-15 was shot down Friday.
Rhian Lubin reports:
Trump warns he’ll ‘reign down hell’ in 48 hours unless Iran opens Strait of Hormuz
Trump says Iran has 48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz or 'all Hell' will rain down
Saturday 4 April 2026 15:14 , Maryam Zakir-HussainDonald Trump has said Iran has 48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz before “all Hell” will rain down on them.
Writing on Truth Social, he said: “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out - 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
He appeared to confuse the spelling of “rain down” with “reign down” in his threat online.
Iran says area around nuclear power plant hit
Saturday 4 April 2026 14:54 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIran said the area around the Bushehr nuclear power plant has been attacked today for the fourth time during the current war.
Iran’s International Atomic Energy Agency said one of the site’s physical protection staff members was killed by a projectile fragment and that a building on site was affected by shockwaves and fragments.
Read more here:
Iran says strike hit close to its Bushehr nuclear facility as guard killed
Trump won’t say what US will do if missing pilot in Iran is harmed: ‘We hope that’s not going to happen’
Saturday 4 April 2026 13:46 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAs U.S. and Israeli forces search for an F-15 crew 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 declined to say 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.
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.
Read the exclusive here:
Trump won’t say what US will do if missing pilot harmed in Iran
What history tells us about how Iran’s Revolutionary Guard would resist any US ground invasion
Saturday 4 April 2026 13:40 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has long exerted a strong, often underestimated power in the Middle East. With around 190,000 members, plus an estimated 450,000 reserves in the Basij paramilitary, the largest component of Iran’s Armed Forces also controls much of the country’s politics, intelligence and economy.
After an Israeli airstrike assassinated the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, US President Donald Trump called on the IRGC to lay down its arms in exchange for immunity. IRGC forces refused the offer, and with many more of its leaders killed over the last month, it shows no sign of giving up.
As US ground forces deploy to the Middle East, it is imperative to understand that – despite a month of widespread US-Israeli bombing, damaged infrastructure, internal fractures and decimated leadership – the IRGC will likely resist any invasion of Iranian territory with tenacity. Its history demonstrates why.
What history tells us about how Iran’s Revolutionary Guard would resist a invasion
Watch: Trump declares 'evil won't prevail' in Easter message as Iran war rages on
Saturday 4 April 2026 13:20 , Rebecca WhittakerIran claims it hit Israeli ship
Saturday 4 April 2026 13:03 , Rebecca WhittakerIran has claimed it attacked an Israel-affiliated vessel with a drone in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's state media said the attack set the ship on fire.
There was no immediate comment from Israel.
Hunt continues for missing US pilot
Saturday 4 April 2026 13:00 , Rebecca WhittakerIranian forces are hunting for a missing US pilot from one of two warplanes downed over Iran and the Gulf, raising the stakes for Washington.
The jet was shot down by Iranian forces around 6:45 a.m. ET Friday and a rescue mission was quickly launched. One of the pilots, who had ejected before the aircraft went down, was rescued by US forces, two US officials told CBS News. The pilot is alive and receiving medical attention, officials said.
US forces are racing to recover the second pilot, a weapons system officer, before Iranian forces can reach them. Israel is helping the United States with the search and rescue operation.
Three workers wounded in drone strike on Iraq's North Rumaila oilfield, sources say
Saturday 4 April 2026 12:33 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTwo drones hit the BP-operated North Rumaila oilfield in southern Iraq on Saturday, wounding three Iraqi workers, security and energy sources said.
The attack took place shortly after another drone hit storage facilities west of the port city of Basra that belong to foreign oil companies, the sources said.
The drone strikes had no impact on operations in this part of Iraq's giant Rumaila oilfield, as they targeted an equipment storage facility, said two Iraqi engineers working at the field.
Foreign staff were evacuated following an earlier drone strike on the oilfield, sources told Reuters last month.
Iran says strike hit close to its Bushehr nuclear facility, killing a guard and damaging a building
Saturday 4 April 2026 11:58 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe U.S. military pressed ahead Saturday in a frantic search for a missing pilot after Iran shot down an American warplane, as Iran called on people to turn the pilot in, promising a reward.
The plane, identified by Iran as a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle, was one of two attacked on Friday, with one service member rescued and at least one missing. It was the first time the United States lost aircraft in Iranian territory during the war, now in its sixth week, and could mark a new turning point in the campaign.
Iran says strike hit close to its Bushehr nuclear facility, killing a guard and damaging a building
Iran allows essential goods vessels to its ports via Hormuz strait
Saturday 4 April 2026 11:35 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIran has authorised the passage of vessels carrying essential goods to its ports through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a letter cited by Iran's Tasnim news agency on Saturday.
The letter indicates that ships heading to Iranian ports, including those currently in the Gulf of Oman, must coordinate with authorities and comply with established protocols to transit the strait, Tasnim said.
Iran has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries about a fifth of the world's total oil trade, in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks that began on February 28.
Iraq closes Shalamcheh crossing with Iran after airstrikes kill Iraqi
Saturday 4 April 2026 11:03 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIraq has closed the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran after airstrikes on the Iranian side killed an Iraqi citizen, security sources said on Saturday.
The sources said at least five Iraqis were seriously wounded in the strikes, which hit a passenger reception area on the Iranian side.
Iraqi police recovered the body of a man, while the wounded were taken to hospital, most in critical condition.
Iraq's border authorities ordered the crossing closed to trade and travellers, the authorities said in a statement.
Arrests, beatings and an atmosphere of fear: Iranians on life under wartime ‘martial law’
Saturday 4 April 2026 10:54 , Maryam Zakir-HussainReports from within Iran point to an increase in checkpoints and surveillance, with claims of phones seized and social media monitored writes Amirhossein Miresmaeili:
As the US-Israeli war in the Middle East enters its second month, reports from multiple cities in Iran indicate the atmosphere inside the country is approaching a de facto state of martial law.
Residents say increased checkpoints, the presence of armed forces in residential neighbourhoods, intensified security crackdowns, and raids on homes have severely disrupted daily life.
According to accounts received by Independent Persian, in many neighbourhoods in Tehran, forces belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its subsidiary Basij militia have effectively turned residential areas into security zones by stationing heavy vehicles, numerous motorcycles and military equipment outside apartment complexes.
Read more here:
Tight security, beatings and arrests: Iranians on life under war time ‘martial law’
Watch: Trump declares 'evil won't prevail' in Easter message as Iran war rages on
Saturday 4 April 2026 10:24 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIranian drones target US tech company in Dubai
Saturday 4 April 2026 09:57 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIran has said it targeted US tech firm, Oracle, in Dubai’s Internet City district.
Authorities in Dubai said the drones were intercepted, but shrapnel hit the facades of two buildings, including one belonging to Oracle.
No injuries were reported.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard has threatened to attack Oracle and 17 other US companies after accusing them of being involved in "terrorist espionage" operations in Iran.
Previous Iranian drone strikes caused damage to three Amazon Web Services facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Airstrike hits Iran's petrochemical facility
Saturday 4 April 2026 09:27 , Maryam Zakir-HussainUS and Israeli warplanes continued to pound Iran Saturday, hitting several targets including a petrochemical facility, Iranian media reported.
Iran's official English-language newspaper Tehran Times reported that an airstrike hit a facility belonging to Iran's Agriculture Ministry in the western city of Mehran.
The newspaper said another air raid struck Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Zone in the southwestern Khuzestan province.
The semiofficial Fars news agency reported several explosions heard late Saturday morning in the facility.
Mehr, another semiofficial news agency, reported that the strikes hit four companies within the zone.
Israeli military says it struck key infrastructure in Iranian capital
Saturday 4 April 2026 08:55 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Israeli military said on Saturday that its air force struck ballistic and and anti-aircraft missile storage sites in Tehran.
It said the strikes a day earlier included weapons manufacture sites as well as military research and development facilities in the Iranian capital.
It said the strikes are part of an ongoing phase to increase damage to Iran's "core systems and foundations."
Iran offering locals £50,000 reward to anyone who hands over US pilot alive
Saturday 4 April 2026 08:49 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAs the US and Tehran race to find the missing American pilot from the downed US fighter jet, 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.
IMF urges BOJ to keep raising rates even as Iran war poses new risks
Saturday 4 April 2026 08:40 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe International Monetary Fund urged the Bank of Japan to continue raising interest rates, even as the Middle East war posed "significant new risks" to the country's economic outlook.
The proposal comes amid market expectations the BOJ will raise interest rates as soon as April in the face of mounting inflationary pressure from the conflict-induced spike in oil prices, and higher import costs blamed on the weak yen.
While growth is expected to moderate, due partly to the Iran war, gradual wage gains will underpin consumption, the IMF said in a statement issued from Washington on Friday after the conclusion of its policy consultation with Japan.
"Risks to the outlook and inflation are broadly balanced" with inflation expected to converge to the BOJ's 2% target in 2027, the IMF said.
In the statement, the IMF said its executive board commended Japan's "strong ec”KLonomic resilience" to global shocks and agreed the BOJ was appropriately withdrawing monetary accommodation.
"They noted that as underlying inflation converges toward the BOJ's target, gradual rate hikes toward neutral should continue" in a flexible, well-communicated and data-dependent approach, the statement said.
"Directors stressed the importance of maintaining a flexible exchange rate as a credible shock absorber," it added.
UN chief tells Trump ‘war is not a game show’ after US bombs civilian targets in Iran
Saturday 4 April 2026 08:25 , 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.
Read more from our political correspondent Millie Cooke here:
UN chief tells Trump ‘war is not a game show’ after US bombs civilian targets
Iranian drone strike on US Embassy in Saudi Arabia caused more damage than disclosed, WSJ reports
Saturday 4 April 2026 08:10 , Stuti MishraAn Iranian drone attack on the US Embassy in Riyadh last month caused far more damage than Saudi officials initially disclosed, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday, citing US officials.
Two drones struck the American compound in the Diplomatic Quarter on 3 March, breaching a secure area where hundreds of employees would typically work and severely damaging three floors, including the CIA station. Saudi officials had described it as a minor fire with limited damage, but US officials told the WSJ the fire burned for hours and caused significant, irreparable damage. Later that night, a drone appeared to target the residence of the top US diplomat in Saudi Arabia, only a few hundred feet from the embassy, while debris from intercepted drones landed near a preschool.
Iran executes two more members of MEK as war continues
Saturday 4 April 2026 07:47 , Stuti MishraIran has executed two more members of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq group, bringing the total number executed since the start of the war to six, the Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency said today.
Abul-Hassan Montazer and Vahid Bani-Amirian were hanged after being convicted of "being members of a terrorist group". Activists and rights groups say Iran routinely holds closed-door trials in which defendants are unable to challenge the accusations they face.
US congressman accuses Trump of 'threatening war crimes' over power plant strikes
Saturday 4 April 2026 07:20 , Stuti MishraUS congressman Ro Khanna has accused Donald Trump of threatening war crimes by targeting electricity plants and civilian infrastructure in Iran.
"Trump is threatening war crimes. You cannot strike electricity plants. You cannot strike civilian targets. We don't do that as a United States of America. We are supposed to follow international law. That's the type of things that Vladimir Putin does. That's the war crimes that Netanyahu committed," Khanna told CNN.
The Democrat also warned that Mr Trump's escalatory rhetoric was putting the missing service member and all US troops in the region at greater risk of retaliation.
Khanna: Trump is threatening war crimes. You cannot strike electricity plants and civilian targets. We don't do that. We are supposed to follow international law. That's the type of things that Putin does. That's the war crimes that Netanyahu committed. And we need to be loud and… pic.twitter.com/9PC80XA4s5
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 4, 2026
Exclusive: Trump won’t say what US will do if missing pilot in Iran is harmed
Saturday 4 April 2026 07:00 , Stuti MishraAs U.S. and Israeli forces search for an F-15 crew 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 declined to say 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.
Read more:
Trump won’t say what US will do if missing pilot harmed in Iran
