Israeli emergency responders examine a scene of a direct ballistic hit, after it was launched from Iran on April 02, 2026 in Petach Tikva, Israel. Iran has continued firing waves of drones and missiles at Israel after the USA and Israel launched a joint assault on Iran early on February twenty eighth.
Amir Levy/Getty Photographs
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Amir Levy/Getty Photographs
Blasts and sirens rang out throughout Israel, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Friday as air protection techniques tried to stave off Iranian drones and missiles. Not less than two refineries had been set on fireplace by drone assaults or falling particles. The strikes got here as President Trump repeated his risk to Iran’s management on Day 35 of the conflict.
“Our military… hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran,” Trump posted late Thursday on social media. “Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!”
He added: “New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!”
Iranian officers mentioned one of many longest bridges linking Tehran to town of Karaj was destroyed in a single day.
Amongst targets hit by Iran on Friday was Kuwait’s largest oil refinery, setting a few of its items on fireplace. Authorities in UAE reported an incident at Habshan fuel facility from falling particles.
The alternate of strikes and threats got here amid renewed international efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway for the oil provide, which has been blocked by Iran in retaliation for the U.S. and Israeli strikes in opposition to it that started on Feb. 28. The blockade has despatched up costs of oil, fuel and fertilizer.
The Brent crude oil value went up by 7.8 p.c on Friday, standing at US$109.03 per barrel.
This is extra information from the conflict on Iran on Friday:
U.S. strikes on Iran | Iran assaults Gulf refineries | Strait of Hormuz talks | Investigation on Iran assaults
One in all Iran’s largest bridges destroyed in U.S. strikes
The B1 bridge west of the capital Tehran, connecting it to town of Karaj, was beneath development when it was hit in an assault late Wednesday. Iran’s safety forces mentioned eight individuals had been killed within the assault.
Extra strikes had been reported throughout Iran in a single day Thursday.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatened to hit main bridges within the Gulf area in retaliation.
Trump has threatened the U.S. will hit extra civilian infrastructure together with energy vegetation by subsequent week if Iran’s management doesn’t open the Strait of Hormuz. The risk has been criticized by many Iranians, even those that oppose the regime, like opposition determine Reza Pahlavi, the son of the previous shah, as a result of hardship it could trigger odd Iranians.
A bridge struck by U.S. airstrikes on Thursday is seen within the city of Karaj, west of Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2026.
Vahid Salemi/AP
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Vahid Salemi/AP
“If you are saying that if these people are separate from the government and you have just come here to just topple this regime, then why are you attacking this power plant?” an Iranian who fled Tehran informed NPR this week.
In response to the assaults, Iran’s international minister, Abbas Araghchi mentioned on a submit in social media “striking civilian infrastructure will not compel Iranians to surrender.”
Iran launches missile and drone assaults on Israel, Gulf
Kuwait’s Petroleum Company mentioned on Friday a number of items on the nation’s largest oil refinery, Mina Al-Ahmadi, had been on fireplace following a drone assault.
Emergency groups had been working to include the fires and no accidents had been reported. The refinery has been a goal of Iranian drones previously.
The Kuwait Military additionally mentioned its air protection techniques had been responding to hostile missiles and drone threats.
Authorities within the United Arab Emirates reported a fireplace within the nation’s Habshan fuel facility brought on by falling particles from an intercepted assault.
Saudi Arabia’s ministry of protection additionally mentioned it intercepted and destroyed a few dozen drones.
Israel’s well being ministry mentioned on Friday that it has handled 148 individuals within the final day, the bulk for minor accidents. Some 6,594 individuals obtained therapy because the conflict started, in response to the ministry’s submit on social media.
Nations mull diplomatic stress on Iran over Strait of Hormuz, however attain no settlement
Leaders of 40 nations, who convened just about on Thursday on the request of the British authorities, mentioned diplomatic stress and financial measures to compel Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, however didn’t comply with any particular steps.
The assembly, hosted by U.Ok. international secretary Yvette Cooper, included representatives from European nations, Canada, the United Arab Emirates – however not of the nations that launched the conflict: the U.S. and Israel.
Earlier this week, Trump mentioned the blocked strait did not have an effect on the U.S. and informed different nations to fend for themselves in the event that they wished to get it reopened. Cooper mentioned the remainder of the world had been left to take care of the implications of the Iran conflict.
She mentioned that by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Iran was “hijacking a global shipping route” and was “holding the global economy hostage.”
“This is hitting the trading for Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi, Oman , Iraq… but that means liquid natural gas for Asia, fertilizer for Africa and jet fuel for the world,” Cooper added.
She mentioned that visitors by means of the strait had plunged from 150 vessels a day to 10-20 ships a day.
The assembly mentioned diplomatic stress on Iran in addition to sanctions if Iran continues to maintain the passage closed. They rejected any makes an attempt by Iran to impose tolls on ships passing by means of the waterway.
A residential constructing broken by current U.S.-Israeli strikes is seen with an indication on its wall that reads in Farsi: “We stand till the end,” in Fardis, west of Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2026.
Vahid Salemi/AP
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Vahid Salemi/AP
Cooper mentioned that navy planners from the nations attending the assembly would meet subsequent week to consider defensive capabilities for safety of the strait, as soon as the preventing stops.
Officers additionally mentioned they’d work with the Worldwide Maritime Organisation to attempt to assist about 20,000 sailors and hundreds of ships stranded within the Strait of Hormuz.
French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned on Thursday the thought of utilizing drive to reopen the Strait – as advised by Trump – is “unrealistic”, including that that would depart cargo ships within the strait weak to Iranian assaults.
Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung mentioned on Friday they’d cooperate to reopen the strait, in response to the Related Press.
U.S. allies have repeatedly mentioned they don’t seem to be going to get entangled militarily within the scorching section of the conflict.
Bellingcat says UAE downplayed Iranian assaults in a brand new report
Investigative outlet Bellingcat has a brand new report exhibiting a number of Iranian assaults on the United Arab Emirates that had been apparently downplayed or mischaracterized in official statements.
The federal government didn’t instantly reply to NPR’s request for touch upon the report.
Bellingcat, which makes use of open supply knowledge, mentioned a video shared by a migrant employee reveals what seems to be an Iranian drone hitting gasoline storages within the emirate of Fujairah in early March. Satellite tv for pc imagery reveals three tanks destroyed. However Bellingcat notes Fujairah’s media workplace mentioned a fireplace had resulted from particles following a profitable interception – although no interception will be seen.
In different examples, obvious drone strikes on Dubai’s airport and a lodge weren’t acknowledged as such.
Bellingcat additionally mentioned satellite tv for pc imagery reveals two fires over a mile aside at Dubai’s port final month, together with an space utilized by the U.S. Navy. However authorities acknowledged only one fireplace on the time.
Emily Feng contributed to this report from Istanbul, Fatima Al-Kassab from London, Aya Batrawy from Dubai and Tina Kraja from Washington, DC.
