U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday stepped up his threat to hit hard Iran's critical infrastructure if the country's government doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his Monday deadline.
Trump punctuated his threat with profanity in a social media post Sunday, saying that Tuesday will be “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran.”
He also offered details of the rescue of a “seriously wounded and really brave” U.S. service
member he identified as a “respected colonel” who was missing since Iran shot down a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle on Friday.
The U.S. president said the rescue was a rarely attempted type of operation because of the potential dangers. A second crew member was rescued earlier in “broad daylight” after seven hours over Iran.
The war began with joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Feb. 28 and has killed thousands, shaken global markets, cut off key shipping routes and spiked fuel prices. Both sides have threatened, and hit, civilian targets, bringing warnings of possible war crimes.
Here is the latest:
Armenian Christians celebrated Easter at a church in Iran’s capital on Sunday, striving to maintain a sense of normalcy five weeks into the war.
Families embraced and children exchanged painted eggs at the St. Sarkis Cathedral in central Tehran. Iran’s capital has been targeted by daily airstrikes since the United States and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28.
“Whether we like it or not, we have young children who do not understand what’s going on,” said Juanita Arakel, 40, an English language teacher. “They just need to feel normal.”
The Islamic Republic, with a population of around 90 million, is home to some 300,000 Christians, mostly Armenians, and three seats in parliament are reserved for Christians.
“My appeal first is to those who started the war to look up to the sky where love and mutual respect was given to us, whether through the birth of Jesus or his rising from the dead,” said Sepuh Sargsyan, the archbishop of the Armenian Diocese of Tehran. “Our calls and prayers are that we will be able to end this war.”
Across the Middle East, Christians have departed in large numbers in recent decades, fleeing war, persecution and upheaval, and seeking economic opportunities in the West.
Arakel said her family wants to stay in Iran but that will depend on the war’s consequences. “Maybe we will be forced to leave Iran, but if it’s up to us, and it’s our choice, we prefer to stay here.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said the rescue of the second F-15 pilot was a rarely attempted type of operation because of the potential dangers.
Trump said in a social media post Sunday that the pilot was “seriously wounded and really brave” and rescued from “deep inside the mountains” in Iran.
“The Iranian Military was looking hard, in big numbers, and getting close,” Trump wrote. “He is a highly respected Colonel.”
He also gave details of the rescue of the first pilot, who Trump said was rescued in “broad daylight” after seven hours over Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump is hardening his threats to strike Iran’s critical infrastructure if the government in Tehran doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his Monday deadline.
In a profanity-laced social media post Sunday, Trump says Tuesday will be “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it.”
His direct message to Iran’s leaders is, “Open the F------ Strait, you crazy b-------, or you’ll be living in HELL – JUST WATCH.”
The Republican president has threatened widespread destruction of Iran’s energy resources and other vital infrastructure, potentially including desalination plants that supply drinking water, if the vital waterway doesn’t reopen.
Iran’s joint command threatened on Sunday to step up its attacks on oil and other civilian infrastructure facilities if the U.S. and Israel attack Iranian civilian facilities.
Iran’s state-run news agency quoted the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters as saying that it had attacked a number of oil other infrastructure facilities in Israel and in Gulf Arab countries after an Israeli airstrike struck Iran’s largest petrochemical complex.
“We once again repeat: if you commit aggression again and strike civilian facilities, our responses will be more forceful,” the IRNA news agency quoted a spokesman.
President Donald Trump has threatened to unleash “all Hell” on Iran if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened.
Iran’s joint command claimed claimed on Sunday that the aircraft were destroyed during the complex rescue of an airman whose fighter jet was shot down on Friday.
Iran's state TV quoted the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters as saying the aircraft which included two C-130 military transport aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters were destroyed in the province of Isfahan, where the rescue took place.
Earlier Sunday, Iran’s state TV aired a video showing what it claims are parts of a U.S. aircraft that they had shot down and a photo of thick black smoke rising into the air.
The claims could not be independently verified.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the building in the Jnah neighborhood was filled with residents and sustained “severe damage.”
It's located across the street from the government-run Rafic Hariri University Hospital.
The strike came without warning soon after an earlier one that came with advance notice.
Casualties were rushed to nearby hospitals but there was no immediate word on their number.
The United Arab Emirates’ Defense Ministry said on Sunday that among the 60 projectiles fired at the country were nine ballistic missiles, 50 drones and one cruise missile.
This brings the total number of projectiles that have targeted the UAE during the war to 507 ballistic missiles, 24 cruise missiles, and 2,191 drones.
Iran’s internet blackout is now the world’s longest nation-scale internet shutdown on record, according to an internet monitoring group.
NetBlocks said Sunday the internet blackout in Iran has lasted for 37 consecutive days, exceeding all other comparable incidents the group has recorded.
The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said the drone attacks ignited fires at several of the company’s operational facilities, as well as to facilities at the Petrochemical Industries Company.
Damage was described as “significant.” Firefighters were working to control the fires.
No casualties were reported.
The Israeli military said on Sunday that its air defenses are being activated.
The Israeli military said on Sunday the strikes focused on air defense, drone and missile systems.
The announcement comes in the wake of Iran’s downing of two U.S. warplanes.
The Omani Foreign Ministry posted on social media Sunday that deputy foreign ministers and experts from both countries met to discuss “a number of visions and proposals” to ensure “smooth transit” through the strait.
Oman has often served as a mediator between the US and Iran in the past.
Saturday’s meeting came two days before U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed deadline for Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz was due to expire.
Trump had warned of “devastating consequences” if Iran doesn’t comply by Monday.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry’s statement Sunday was issued after Israeli struck the town of Kfar Hatta near the coastal city of Sidon.
The Israeli military had called on the entire town late Saturday to evacuate.
Kfar Hatta hosts many displaced people who fled from southern Lebanon.
Bahrain’s official news agency said Sunday the attack ignited fires in two units at the state-run petrochemical plant.
According to the Bahrain News Agency which cited the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company, firefighters have placed the fire under control and authorities were assessing the damage.
Nournews, a media outlet believed to have close links with Iranian security forces, reported on Sunday that the strikes occurred in Dehdasht county and the Vezq district around 360 miles (580 kilometers) south of Tehran.
Nournews didn’t specify if those killed included military personnel but said two were tourists.
Media reports had said on Friday that a U.S. pilot who went missing after his aircraft was shot down may have been in the same areas where the strikes happened.
Nournews didn’t say if the deaths were linked to a rescue operation for the U.S. pilot.
Minister Badr Abdelatty has spoken by phone with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, as well as with his Turkish and Pakistani counterparts who are also helping mediate between the U.S. and Iran.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday Abdelattay discussed a day earlier “ideas and proposals to achieve the required calm” and warned of an “unprecedented explosion” in the Middle East.
It didn’t elaborate further.
U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his threats for Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz by Monday or face devastating consequences.
The militant group said in a statement on Sunday that the barge was some 78 miles (126 kilometers) away from the Lebanese coast.
Although most Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in this latest war have been conducted by jets and drones, some have come by sea.
The Israeli military did not immediately issue a statement.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi said Sunday that they have responded to multiple fires at the Borouge petrochemicals plant.
They said the fires were caused by falling debris following successful interceptions by air defense systems.
The plant is in Ruwais, near the UAE’s western border with Saudi Arabia.
It is a joint venture of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. and Borealis of Austria.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Sunday that it had conveyed to Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that Islamabad supports “all efforts aimed at de-escalation.”
It said in a statement that the two diplomats exchanged views on the evolving regional situation and agreed to remain in close contact.
Pakistan is currently helping to broker a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran by offering to host peace talks.
Iran’s state TV on Sunday quoted a statement from the country’s joint military command that two Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport aircraft had been shot down in the city of Isfahan.
The statement said the aircraft were taking part in a failed rescue operation for a U.S. pilot.
The state broadcaster showed still images of an aircraft as well as a long-distance shot of a column of dark smoke rising from a desert area.
The pilot had been missing since Friday when Iran downed a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle. A second crew member had been rescued earlier.
U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to questions about the aircraft.
A regional intelligence official briefed on the mission said the U.S. military blew up two transport planes due to a technical malfunction that forced them to bring in additional aircraft to complete the rescue.
He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the covert mission.
Aid groups say that more people will suffer if the violence continues as the conflict is also disrupting supply chains, forcing them to use costlier, more time-consuming routes.
Key pathways such as the Strait of Hormuz have been effectively cut off and flights from strategic hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi have spiked in cost with higher fuel and insurance rates.
This means less supplies can be delivered with the same amount of money, further straining humanitarian response in conflict-hit countries across the region.
The U.N. food agency warns that if the conflict continues through June, 45 million more people will be acutely hungry, adding to nearly 320 million people facing hunger around the world.
Kuwait’s Finance Ministry said Sunday’s drone attack resulted in “significant damage” to its office complex in Kuwait City.
It said no casualties were reported.
Kuwait’s Electricity Ministry said in a statement Sunday that damage to the facilities was “significant.”
The ministry said the attack resulted in two power generation units to be taken out of service.
No injuries were reported.
BAPCO Energies said in a statement Sunday that the fire was extinguished and that no injuries were reported.
It said emergency response teams responded immediately in close coordination with authorities to contain the fire.
It added that damage to the storage facilities is now being assessed.
Mizan Online, a media outlet for Iran's judiciary, said on Saturday that Mohammad Ami Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast had been convicted on charges of taking part in an attack on a military facility, setting fire to it and attempting to reach its arms depot.
It said the two men were hanged after the country’s Supreme Court upheld a lower court death sentence.
A crackdown on nationwide protests in January resulted in the death of thousands of people and the arrest of thousands more.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States didn’t confirm the rescue of the first aviator from the F-15 fighter jet that was shot down in Iran on Friday “because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation.”
In his social media post early Sunday, Trump said the second aviator “was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said a service member rescued in Iran is injured but “will be just fine.”
Trump said in a social media post early Sunday that the aviator took refuge “in the treacherous mountains of Iran.”
He said the rescue involved “dozens of aircraft” and that US had been monitoring his location “24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue.”
U.S. officials say that a service member missing after Iran shot down fighter jet has been rescued.
That’s according to two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of an official announcement.
It comes after a frantic search-and-rescue operation. The crew member had been missing since Friday, when Iran downed a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle. A second crew member had been rescued earlier.
By Matthew Lee and Konstantin Toropin
The country banned all but essential foreign trips for government ministers as part of cost-saving measures triggered by the energy crisis linked to the war.
Senegal, like many African countries, imports most of the petroleum products it consumes. That leaves its economy vulnerable to supply disruptions such as the chokehold on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which has sent the price of crude soaring.
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said his office is taking steps to limit public expenditure, pointing out that initial budget forecasts were based on an oil price of $62 per barrel. It is now almost double that.
“I have taken a number of drastic measures to restrict everything related to government spending, including the cancellation of all nonessential missions abroad,” the government-owned newspaper Le Soleil quoted Sonko as saying.
He added that he canceled several trips, including to Niger, Spain and France.
