Airstrikes in southwest Iran killed at least three people and wounded others, state media said, in the same area where a missing American crew member is believed to be. Gen Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, commander of Iran’s joint military command, warned that Iran would target all infrastructure used by the US military in the region and Israeli infrastructure if aggression escalates, saying “the doors of hell will be opened to you” in response to renewed threats from US President Donald Trump.
The conflict, which began with joint US‑Israel strikes on Feb. 28, has killed thousands, disrupted global markets, choked key shipping routes and raised fuel prices. Both sides have struck civilian targets, prompting warnings about possible war crimes.
Key developments:
– Iran called the US rescue operation a “bitter defeat” after Washington said it had rescued a second F‑15 crew member. Tehran claimed it shot down a C‑130 aircraft involved in the operation. Iran’s unified command said several enemy aircraft were destroyed, including a C‑130 and two Black Hawk helicopters; Iran’s army also reported downing an Israeli drone in Isfahan province.
– Bahrain’s Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company said a fire at its operating units after an Iranian drone attack was brought under control with no injuries; teams are assessing damage.
– Abu Dhabi authorities reported fires at the Borouge petrochemicals plant in Ruwais after falling debris from intercepted aerial threats; production has halted. The plant is a joint venture of ADNOC and Borealis.
– Trump said the US withheld confirmation of the first aviator’s rescue to avoid jeopardizing a second rescue operation, calling the mission “one of the most daring search and rescue operations in US history.”
– Iran executed two men convicted of participating in January protests that included attacks on a military facility, state judiciary media reported. The protests previously led to thousands of deaths and arrests.
– BAPCO Energies in Bahrain said an Iranian drone set fire to a storage tank; the blaze was extinguished and no injuries were reported while damage is assessed.
– Kuwait reported a drone strike on a government office complex that caused “significant damage” and took two power generation units out of service; no casualties were reported. An Iranian drone attack also damaged two power plants and put a desalination station out of service, authorities said.
– Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, issued a veiled threat to disrupt traffic through the Bab el‑Mandeb strait, a strategic route linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden; the strait handles a large share of global oil and container shipments.
– Trump renewed threats demanding Iran open the Strait of Hormuz or face devastating consequences, giving a short deadline in social media posts. Pakistan said efforts to broker a ceasefire and host talks between the US and Iran were “right on track,” with Tehran saying it had not refused to go to Islamabad.
– The war’s economic effects reached the US: companies such as Amazon have added fuel surcharges and some airlines have raised baggage fees to offset rising fuel costs.
– Iran’s Minister of Science reported that five university professors and 60 students had been killed since the war began, after strikes on an academic research center in southern Tehran.
The situation remains highly fluid, with continued strikes, drone attacks and retaliatory threats across the Gulf and Levant regions. (Agencies)
