Strikes intensified across the Middle East as the Iran war entered its fourth week, with fresh Israeli attacks on Tehran, continued Iranian missile and drone launches across the Gulf, and growing international concern about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the wider humanitarian and economic fallout.
Military operations and strikes
– Israel said it launched strikes on “regime targets” across Tehran early Saturday; an AFP journalist reported around 10 intense blasts and black smoke. The Israeli military said it hit sites in Tehran tied to ballistic missile production, as well as missile launchers and storage in western Iran. Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed Iran “will pay heavy, increasing prices for this war crime.”
– Iranian state media reported attacks on nuclear facilities, including a heavy-water plant and a yellowcake production plant; Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said the strikes posed no contamination risk.
– Air raid sirens and explosions were reported in Israel, with emergency crews responding to multiple impact sites in Tel Aviv; one person was killed and several were injured after an attack there.
– Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said it carried out missile and drone strikes targeting sites in Israel and U.S. facilities in the Gulf. Gulf states including the UAE and Saudi Arabia reported intercepting dozens of missiles and drones in recent days; the UAE said six missiles and nine drones were intercepted on Friday.
– Kuwait reported material damage at major ports, including Shuwaikh Port and the Mubarak Al Kabeer Port (part of China’s Belt and Road project), after attacks that marked one of the first direct hits on a Chinese-affiliated Gulf project during the war.
– The U.S. appears to have used hundreds of Tomahawk cruise missiles in strikes against Iran — one source cited over 850 used so far — a rate far outpacing annual procurement and straining production. Open-source reporting and U.S. officials also indicated possible U.S. use of scatterable anti-tank mines in southern Iran, linked to several civilian deaths.
– The USS George H.W. Bush carrier strike group was ordered to deploy to U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility and could join operations; other carrier strike groups and guided-missile destroyers have been repositioned to the region.
Human cost and displacement
– U.S. Central Command said 303 U.S. service members have been wounded in action since the war began, with 13 American service members killed. Ten Americans were seriously or very seriously injured in an Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
– Lebanon faces a deepening humanitarian crisis: the U.N. refugee agency said more than a million people — about one in five residents — have been displaced by Israeli operations against Hezbollah strongholds and cross-border fighting.
– A deadly strike on an elementary school in Minab, Iran, that killed more than 165 people — mostly children — remains under investigation; U.N. human rights officials called for prompt, impartial probes and accountability.
Diplomacy, negotiations and political signals
– The White House presented Iran with a 15-point peace framework via intermediaries and expected Iran’s response; U.S. officials privately told allies diplomacy would take time, estimating kinetic activity could continue two to four more weeks.
– President Trump said talks were “going very well” and twice extended his deadline for strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure after Tehran asked for more time. Trump claimed Iran had earlier lied when denying negotiations and said Tehran had allowed several oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz as a “present.”
– Tehran accused Trump of false statements and said the IRGC had turned back several commercial ships attempting to enter the strait, reiterating its closure and warning of severe responses for violators. Iran has been charging some vessels fees — reported in some cases as high as $2 million — to transit certain routes, prompting anger among Gulf neighbors and calls for international action.
– Iran’s U.N. ambassador in Geneva said Tehran would “facilitate and expedite” humanitarian aid through the Strait of Hormuz at the U.N.’s request, a limited breakthrough for aid shipments and agricultural cargo amid the blockade.
– Vice President JD Vance was described by sources as emerging as a central U.S. diplomacy figure in talks with Iran; special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner remain involved. German and other European officials said direct U.S.-Iran talks may be imminent in Pakistan.
– Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other U.S. officials said they expect war objectives to be completed in the coming weeks, while some U.S. lawmakers and Israeli opposition figures warned the military is “stretched” and that an exit strategy remains unclear.
International responses and warnings
– G7 foreign ministers urged an immediate stop to attacks on civilians and called on Iran to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. They also focused on mitigating global economic shocks from disrupted energy, fertilizer and commercial supply chains.
– The U.N. rights chief demanded justice and accountability over the school strike and called for transparent investigations of attacks on civilians. The U.N. has created a task force to address the war’s ripple effects on aid delivery.
– Iranian officials accused Israel of coordinating strikes with the U.S.; U.S. and Israeli officials have not publicly confirmed such coordination.
Economic impact
– Markets have reacted sharply: U.S. stocks closed out their worst week since the war began, extending a multiweek slide. The S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq fell amid rising crude oil prices and fears of prolonged disruptions to Persian Gulf energy supplies.
– Consumer confidence declined in March, with the University of Michigan’s preliminary index falling to its lowest level since December 2025 as Americans worried about inflation and higher fuel costs.
Maritime and strategic chokepoints
– Maritime analysts described Larak Island and alternate routes as chokepoints where Iran has exerted control, enforcing fees and redirecting traffic while the main Strait of Hormuz remains largely paralyzed. Iran has warned it could target other vital passages such as the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
– The U.S. and allies are discussing plans to keep the strait open after hostilities end; U.S. officials have also ordered additional forces to the region as contingency measures.
What’s next
– Diplomacy remains tentative: U.S. officials said they expected Iran’s response to the 15-point plan; Trump set a new April 6 deadline before potential strikes on energy infrastructure but said he had granted Iran more time after Tehran’s request. Analysts and officials warned the military campaign and negotiations could continue in parallel, with the risk of further escalation and growing humanitarian and economic fallout.