Overnight, Iran struck a large Kuwaiti oil tanker off the coast of Dubai, igniting a blaze that raised immediate fears of an oil spill. City officials later said the fire was extinguished and that no oil spill or injuries were recorded. The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defense said it was defending the country against missiles and drones it attributed to Iran. Saudi Arabia also reported drone attacks overnight as spillover from the wider regional fighting.
Tehran and its allies remain central to a wave of strikes across the region. Iran’s foreign minister insisted the attacks were aimed at U.S. targets and not at “brotherly” countries. Meanwhile, central Israel experienced multiple impacts; the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported rescuers were en route to strike sites and Israeli media cited injuries. The IDF said it had completed strikes on Iranian government infrastructure in Tehran and said operations against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon continued, including the destruction of warehouses it described as housing weapons caches, headquarters, tunnels and a rocket launcher. Israel also announced further military losses in Lebanon, reporting three additional soldiers killed.
U.S. and allied military and political responses continue to unfold. The Pentagon scheduled a briefing by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs chair Dan Caine at 8 a.m. Eastern — their first on-the-record session to take questions on the Iran war since March 19. President Trump has publicly pressed for a negotiated settlement even as he repeats stark warnings. He has said Iran wants a deal — a claim Tehran denies — and threatened measures including seizing Iranian oil and Kharg Island or destroying key infrastructure. Trump has warned he might target electric plants, oil wells and possibly desalination facilities if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration still seeks a deal before the April 6 deadline Trump set and described private U.S.-Iran contacts as differing from Tehran’s public statements. U.S. Central Command said Commander Adm. Brad Cooper met with Israel’s Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, during a two-day visit. Their discussions, CENTCOM said, focused on progress in efforts “to eliminate Iran’s ability to project power” beyond its borders. Cooper also visited U.S. service members supporting Operation Epic Fury and recognized more than 40 troops for their performance during the operation’s early weeks.
The United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting after three U.N. peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon amid intensified fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. All three peacekeepers were Indonesian. Indonesia’s foreign ministry said one was killed by what it called indirect artillery fire and two others by an explosion of unknown origin that destroyed their vehicle; Jakarta has demanded a prompt, transparent investigation. Israel said it is investigating whether the deaths were caused by its forces or by Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said operations related to Iran were beyond “halfway complete” and that an invasion of Lebanon was widening. Recent strikes have hit Beirut’s southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley; Lebanese officials reported at least nine civilian deaths in recent attacks, and Israel reported additional military casualties.
On the home front in Iran, authorities said they arrested 46 people selling Starlink satellite internet connections — one of the few ways Iranians have accessed the global web amid continuing restrictions. Global monitor NetBlocks said Iran’s internet blackout had entered its 32nd day, warning that prolonged isolation is degrading services and exposing systems to other risks. Iran also announced executions of four people it accused of opposition activity and espionage for the U.S. and Israel.
Tensions between the U.S. and some European partners flared over basing and airspace access. Spain closed its airspace to U.S. planes engaged in the conflict, a move confirmed by Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had hinted at restrictions. Senator Marco Rubio publicly criticized Spain, accusing its leadership of “bragging” about denying U.S. access. Records showed at least 15 in-flight refueling aircraft leaving jointly operated bases in southern Spain after being blocked from supporting operations in Iran; President Trump threatened to cut trade with Spain if the bases were not made available. Sánchez has framed opposition to the war as a central domestic position, while his coalition faces political strains ahead of a 2027 parliamentary election.
President Trump shared a video on his social platform showing two successive explosions — a clip the Associated Press said likely depicts a U.S. strike on Isfahan — posting it without context. And global religious leaders have urged restraint. The Dalai Lama posted a plea for an end to violence, echoing calls from the Vatican for dialogue, diplomacy and mutual respect as the only sustainable path to peace.
The situation remains fluid across multiple fronts — maritime, air, land and cyber — with diplomatic, military and humanitarian developments unfolding daily. Authorities and international bodies have warned of further escalation and called for urgent measures to protect civilians and de-escalate tensions.