U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened widespread destruction of Iran’s energy resources and other vital infrastructure, including desalination plants, if a deal to end the war with Tehran is not reached “shortly.”
The war has already threatened global supplies of oil and natural gas, sparked fertilizer shortages and disrupted air travel. Iran’s grip on the strategic Strait of Hormuz has shaken markets and prices.
Trump's latest threat also mentions Iran’s Kharg Island oil export hub, which he suggested U.S. troops could seize in an interview with the Financial Times published early Monday. Iran has threatened to mine the Persian Gulf if its territory is invaded.
The United States and Israel kept up their attacks Monday while Iran struck a key water and electrical plant in Kuwait, part of its ongoing campaign targeting the Gulf Arab states, and an oil refinery in Israel came under fire.
Israel has invaded southern Lebanon to expel the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, which has been firing rockets and drones across the border, in what Israeli leaders suggest could be another extended occupation of that country. The invasion, along with aerial bombardment of wide swathes of the country, have displaced more than a million Lebanese people.
Here is the latest:
Rubio says Iran leadership is fracturing under US-Israeli attacks
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Iran’s leadership is fracturing under the month-long U.S.-Israeli war and that negotiations are possible with a new generation of Iranian leaders. But, he said the U.S. military buildup around Iran in the Middle East will continue as a backstop.
In an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday, Rubio said the Trump administration is aware of competing voices within Iran’s government pitting hard-liners against those who might be willing to negotiate a resolution to end the war. He declined to say who the dissenting voices, saying it would be dangerous for them to be publicly identified.
“There’s some fractures going on there internally,” Rubio said. “If there are new people now in charge who have a more reasonable vision of the future, that would be good news for us, for them, for the entire world. But we also have to be prepared for the possibility, maybe even the probability, that that is not the case. So we’re going to test it.”
Kuwait summons Iraqi envoy over militant attacks
The summons was to protest attacks by militant groups operating from Iraqi territory, Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said on X, demanding Baghdad take steps to stop them.
Kuwait’s said it has the right to respond to threats against its security and sovereignty.
Iraq has struggled to rein in Iran-backed Iraqi militias that have launched attacks throughout the war. In a letter last week, Kuwait and other Arab states urged Baghdad to prevent such groups from operating in Iraqi territory.
Iraq’s Foreign Ministry has said it is addressing “security challenges” and rejects allowing its territory to be used to attack others, without directly addressing the allegations.
Starmer urges a joint response by government and industry to Iran war fallout
British Prime Minster Keir Starmer’s comments came after meeting Monday with the leaders of energy, shipping and banking firms, and as Trump has threatened to seize Iran’s Kharg Island, a crucial facility for oil exports.
“This is going to have to be a joint effort,’’ Starmer said at the start of the meeting. “The government can’t do it on its own.’′
The talks involved representatives from U.K.-based energy giants Shell and BP, global shipping provider Maersk, maritime insurance specialist Lloyd’s of London and international banks HSBC and Goldman Sachs
Young Iranian says Trump’s threats to destroy civilian infrastructure are ‘terrifying’
A 22-year-old resident of Karaj, a city just west of Iran’s capital, said his area lost power for several hours overnight following nearby strikes.
“I was really scared. I thought that they’d hit the power plants and that we are not going to have power anymore,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity out of security fears.
He said he’d already packed a go-bag with documents, chargers, a laptop and wads of cash in case “bank servers go down.” Power returned around 1 a.m. Monday.
He and his friends have scant information about the war, he said, amid Iran’s blanket internet shutdown. “I am really confused. I don’t know what to feel or what to think.”
He added that security checkpoints are common in his area. “They search the car, they check the trunk, they ask for your ID, and they send you on your way.”
— By Amir-Hussein Radjy in Cairo.
Czech Republic to release 100,000 metric tons of oil from state reserves
The measure will take effect Wednesday. The oil will be provided on loan, with refiners required to return it.
The move is due to limited supplies the country receives through the Italian TAL pipeline, which continues as the IKL pipeline through Germany and serves the Czech Republic.
The amount represents about 10% of reserves intended to cover 90 days of consumption.
1,247 killed in Lebanon in ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah
Lebanon’s Health Ministry says 3,680 others have been wounded.
Eighty-seven of those killed were women, 124 children and 52 were medical workers.
More than one million people have been displaced.
As bombs fall on Tehran, Iranians face security force’s threats
A resident of northern Tehran, in his 50s, has described both widening damage from U.S.-Israeli strikes, as well as facing threats from security forces.
“There have been a lot of explosions,” he said, referring to his neighborhood. He said the local police station had been destroyed and a relative had to leave her apartment elsewhere in the capital after a nearby strike blew out its doors and windows.
He said that on the night of the Persian New Year in late March, he and his neighbors shouted anti-government chants from their windows and balconies, and that nearby security forces responded by firing warning shots in the air.
Security forces have issued multiple warnings they will shoot anyone who attempts anti-government demonstrations.
The resident was reached by The Associated Press after he crossed the border out of Iran into Turkey. He spoke on condition of anonymity for his and his family’s safety, saying he planned to return after a few months.
— Amir-Hussein Radjy
NATO defenses intercept fourth missile fired toward Turkey
NATO air defenses have intercepted a fourth ballistic missile fired from Iran, Turkey’s defense ministry said.
A ministry statement said the missile entered Turkish airspace Monday and was “neutralized” by NATO air and missile defense units deployed in the eastern Mediterranean.
“All necessary measures are being taken decisively and without hesitation against any threat directed at our country’s territory and airspace,” the ministry said.
Earlier this month, NATO deployed two Patriot missile defense systems to Turkey to bolster its air defenses.
G-7 governments ‘monitoring’ fallout from the Iran war
Finance and energy officials from the Group of Seven rich democracies said Monday they’re “closely monitoring” the impact of the Iran war but announced no new measures after an online meeting.
The officials said they welcomed the March 11 decision by energy consuming countries to release 400 million barrels of oil from their strategic reserves, and added they “continue to closely monitor developments and their potential impact on global growth, and financial market conditions.”
The meeting brought together G-7 finance ministers, energy ministers and central bank governors for the first time in that constellation, said French Finance Minister Roland Lescure. France has this year’s rotating G-7 presidency.
The central banks are also “closely monitoring” the impact of higher oil prices caused by the war on inflation. The statement made no reference to the direction of central bank interest rates, other than to say monetary policy would depend on incoming data about the economy.
The G-7 are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S.
Funeral procession held for three Ohio airmen
Three Ohio airmen killed in Iraq were honored with a large funeral procession Sunday from Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base near Columbus.
Two F-16 fighter planes and a KC-135 refueling tanker flew overhead in the missing man formation as family members, friends and supporters lined the streets after the dignified arrival of Master Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30; and Capt. Seth Koval, 38.
Motorcycles rumbled along the route as onlookers waved American flags and shed tears.
The three airmen were part of the six-member air crew aboard an Air Force refueling aircraft killed in Iraq on March 12 as part of Operation Epic Fury. The plane crashed over friendly territory in western Iraq while supporting operations against Iran. Simmons, Angst and Koval were members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard.
Saudi Arabia intercepts two drones
The Saudi defense ministry said Monday on X that it detected and destroyed two drones in the past hours as Iran continues its air attacks on Gulf countries.
Israeli airstrike on a Beirut suburb kills 1 and wounds 17
Lebanon’s Health Ministry says those wounded in the Monday morning strike were 10 Lebanese, six Syrians and a woman from Kenya.
It added that the six Syrians included four children.
Iran’s Kharg Island is key to its oil exports. Targeting it carries major risks
Iran’s Kharg Island, home to a terminal through which the country exports most of its oil, has emerged as a focus of the month-old war launched by the United States and Israel.
Strikes on oil infrastructure on Kharg — or a ground invasion — would severely curb Iran’s oil exports, a key source of revenue for the Islamic Republic. It would also mark a major escalation that could provoke even heavier retaliatory attacks on Gulf Arab infrastructure and further drive up oil prices. The skyrocketing cost of fuel is already threatening the world economy.
A U.S. occupation of the island would put American troops in a stationary position just 21 miles (33 kilometers) off Iran’s coast, well within range of its arsenal of drones and missiles.
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European Council president endorses Pakistan’s peace efforts aimed at easing Middle East tensions
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke by telephone Monday with European Council President Antonio Costa, who endorsed Pakistan’s peace efforts aimed at helping end the conflict in the Middle East.
A statement from Sharif’s office said the prime minister briefed Costa on his ongoing diplomatic initiatives.
It said the two leaders expressed concern over ongoing hostilities involving Iran and Gulf countries and their potential effect on the global economy and “stressed upon the need to resolve the crisis through dialogue and diplomacy.”
Text message campaign urges Iranians to defend the country
A text message campaign is calling on Iranians to volunteer to defend the country against a threatened U.S. ground operation, according to copies of messages seen by The Associated Press.
One message declared “a national campaign for those willing to sacrifice their lives,” with a link to register “to defend the country’s territory.” A second similar text message suggested volunteers would soon see “deployment.”
It wasn’t immediately clear if the messages were sent by a government body.
There have been multiple text message campaigns within Iran, either encouraging people to join pro-government forces or threatening those who would stand against them. Some are clearly from the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, while the source of others is more obscure.
Iran revokes residency permits for UAE citizens in a tit-for-tat
Iran’s judiciary said Monday it began revoking residency permits for UAE citizens in retaliation for the UAE doing the same to Iranians there.
The judiciary said 1,200 Emiratis living in Iran had their residencies revoked.
The United Arab Emirates did not immediately respond to a request for comment about its residency revocations. The government has shut down the Iranian Hospital and the Iranian Club in Dubai. Iran has fired more drones and missiles combined at the UAE than at Israel during the war.
Trump says he will destroy Iran’s electricity plants, oil wells and Kharg Island unless there is a peace deal
The U.S. president said on social media that his administration “is in serious discussions” with Iran to end military operations, but he threatened mass destruction of the country’s energy resources unless a deal is reached “shortly.”
“Great progress has been made but, if for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately ‘Open for Business,’ we will conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!),” Trump posted.
Catholic Church finds a solution with Israeli police for Holy Week in Jerusalem
The Latin Patriarchate said Monday it had “addressed and resolved” issues with Israeli police after they prevented top Catholic leaders from holding Palm Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
The patriarchate said it had secured permission from authorities for Mass at the church during Holy Week, though the liturgies will not be open to the public due to wartime limitations on gatherings over 50 people.
Police on Sunday prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the Custos of the Holy Land from accessing the church, citing security and safety concerns. President Isaac Herzog helped mediate the meeting between the police and the Catholic Church.
Egyptian president calls on Trump to end the war with Iran
“I say to President Trump: no one can end the war in our region, in the Gulf, except you,” Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi said in a speech Monday.
“I’m talking to you in the name of humanity and in the name of everyone who loves peace, and you are one of the people who love peace. I’m sending a direct message to you on behalf of the region. There are dangerous consequences in continuing this war any further. Please help us end the war, you’re capable of that,” he said.
Ukraine signs long-term defense agreements with Mideast partners
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday the agreements were signed with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Jordan aimed at expanding defense and economic cooperation.
Zelenskyy said the deals foresee strategic cooperation in military technology, energy and trade for at least a decade. He highlighted Ukraine’s interest in strengthening its anti-ballistic capabilities and securing energy supplies, including diesel fuel. In exchange, Ukraine is ready to provide its drone expertise and technology, Zelenskyy said.
He said Ukraine had shared its experience in reopening Black Sea shipping routes using naval drones, suggesting that could help address disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Spain closes airspace to US planes in Iran war
Spain had already said the U.S. could not use jointly operated military bases in the country for operations related to the war.
“This was made perfectly clear to the American military and forces from the very beginning. Therefore, neither the bases are authorized, nor, of course, is the use of Spanish airspace authorized for any actions related to the war in Iran,” Defense Minister Margarita Robles told reporters.
Spain’s government under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is Europe’s most critical voice against the war on Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel. “I think everyone knows Spain’s position. It’s very clear,” Robles said, calling the war “profoundly illegal and profoundly unjust.”
Iran spokesman tried to defend his nation’s attacks on Gulf Arab states
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei claimed without offering evidence that “America is continuously using its military bases in our neighboring countries.”
“The news published lately about U.S airplanes being damaged in military bases in neighboring countries clearly shows that their land is being used, with or without their consent, by the aggressors against Iran,” Baghaei said. “Therefore, what Iran is doing is defending itself and it’s not considered attacking regional countries.”
Gulf Arab states repeatedly have said the U.S. is not launching attacks from their territory against Iran.
Iran calls US 15-point plan ‘very excessive’
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday that a 15-point ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States was filled with “excessive” demands.
“We haven’t had any direct negotiations with the U.S so far,” Esmail Baghaei told a news conference. “What has been communicated to us, whatever you may call it, 15-points or more or less, are a set of very excessive, unrealistic and irrational demands.”
Rocket attack on air base west of Baghdad destroys military aircraft
Mohammed Alaa Air Base was hit overnight by 122 mm Grad rockets launched from the outskirts of the capital, the Iraqi Defense Ministry said on Monday.
The attack destroyed an Antonov-132 belonging to the Iraqi air force, the statement said. There were no casualties.
Iranian-backed groups have fired drones and rockets targeting U.S. bases, diplomatic missions and oil facilities.
Israeli strike on a Lebanese army checkpoint kills 1 soldier
The strike hit an army position near the coastal city of Tyre. Other troops were wounded, the military said in a statement.
At least 11 Lebanese army soldiers have been killed in Israeli strikes since the latest war between Israel and the militant Hezbollah group erupted earlier this month. Israel did not immediately comment.
Prior to the war, the Lebanese military was gradually deploying in the south in a bid to assert full control. They have not clashed with Israeli ground forces that have invaded Lebanon.
Israeli military says a sixth soldier was killed in Lebanon
The soldier was killed in southern Lebanon on Sunday.
Israeli troops have invaded Lebanon after Hezbollah launched hundreds of projectiles in the past month toward Israel.
Israel says it needs to establish a security zone in the depopulated south to shield its own northern communities. Lebanese officials say more than 1,200 people have been killed and more than 1 million have been displaced in the country.
Fire hits an Israeli oil refinery after missile attack
The fire erupted Monday at the refinery in the northern Israeli city of Haifa for the second time during the monthlong war with Iran, according to footage.
Video showed flames on a large refinery tank with thick black smoke that was quickly extinguished. It wasn’t clear if a missile strike or debris caused the blaze.
Israel has two refineries. Its strikes on Iran have targeted Iran’s South Pars natural gas field and other petrochemical sites.
Bahrain contains fire in a commercial building after attack
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said the fire broke out in a commercial building in Al Dair, a coastal village near Bahrain International Airport. There were no injuries. It added that investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire.
China backs Pakistan’s mediation efforts between Iran and the US
“We appreciate Pakistan’s efforts to help de-escalate the situation, support Pakistan in continuing to play a mediating role,” said China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning.
She told a daily briefing in Beijing that China is ready to coordinate with Pakistan and any other relevant party “to jointly promote peace and cease hostilities to safeguard regional peace and stability.”
Pakistan announced Sunday that it would soon host talks between the U.S. and Iran, though there was no immediate word from Washington or Tehran, and it was unclear whether discussions on the monthlong war would be direct or indirect.
2 members of Iranian exile group were executed
The members of the Iranian exile group Mujahedeen-e-Khalq were hanged Monday in Iran, state media and the group said.
The two men were identified as Akbar Daneshvarkar and Mohammad Taghavi. Daneshvarkar had been held for years prior. Amnesty International has said Tehran’s Revolutionary Court convicted the men on charges of armed rebellion against the state “following a grossly unfair trial in October 2024.” It said the men were tortured during interrogations.
Israel passes budget, extending Netanyahu term
Israel needed to pass a budget before April 1 in order to avoid triggering early elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu still reserves the right to call early elections before then if he wants.
Israel’s opposition slammed the budget for increasing funding to Israel’s ultra-Orthodox communities at a time when the country is facing soaring costs over its war in Iran and is still reeling from a two-year war in Gaza.
The $270 billion budget, Israel’s largest ever, included a 20% increase for the Ministry of Defense due to the ongoing war against Iran. The ministry’s budget has swollen to $45 billion, forcing cuts in other government ministries.
Lawmakers debate death penalty for attacks against Israelis in West Bank
Israel’s parliament is set to vote on a bill that would make the death penalty the default punishment for West Bank Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis.
The parliament began debate on Monday, days before its spring recess. The bill’s passage would mark the culmination of a yearslong push by Israel’s far-right to escalate punishment for Palestinians convicted of nationalistic offenses against Israelis — and victory for Israel’s firebrand minister of national security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of the religious party that introduced the legislation.
Opponents of the legislation call it racist, draconian and unlikely to deter attacks by Palestinian militants. Rights groups are expected to petition Israel’s Supreme Court against it.
Iran confirms the Revolutionary Guard navy chief was killed
Israel on Thursday had said it killed Alireza Tangsiri, a rear admiral in the navy.
A statement from the Guard on Monday, read on state television, said Tangsiri “joined the ranks of Allah due to the severity of his injuries.”
It praised his efforts, particularly in helping Iran maintain a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. “Every fighter is a Tangsiri, and we will see what surprises they will bring in the days and months ahead,” the statement added.
UAE minister calls for ‘disarmament’ of Iranian missile program
Comments by Noura Al Kaabi, a minister of state at the UAE’s Foreign Ministry, offered another signal that the Emirates wants more than just a ceasefire to stop the war.
In a column published by the state-linked, English-language newspaper The National, Al Kaabi denounced the missile and drone attacks targeting her country and Iran’s chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz.
“We want a normal neighbor,” she wrote. “An Iranian regime that launches ballistic missiles at homes, weaponizes global trade and supports proxies is no longer an acceptable feature of the regional landscape.”
She added: “We want a guarantee that this will never happen again.”
A petrochemical plant was hit in Iran strike, state media say
The plant is located some 530 kilometers (330 miles) northwest of the capital, Tehran.
Firefighters put out a blaze at the site, media reported.
A suspected Israeli airstrike hit Beirut on Monday morning
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
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