US-Israel Iran War Live Updates

A forthcoming high-level meeting between the Group of Seven and the Gulf Cooperation Council is set to take place next week, with the agenda centered on the pressing concerns surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. France, currently presiding over the G7, will facilitate the discussion.

A prolonged air raid alert has gripped the Upper Galilee region of Israel, with emergency sirens blaring persistently throughout the morning.
The northern Israeli communities of Rosh Hanikra, Shlomi, and the Western Galilee have come under rocket fire, according to reports from the Israeli military radio.
In a separate development, Al Jazeera’s correspondent on the ground has confirmed a rocket barrage was launched from southern Lebanon, targeting the Upper Galilee area.

A recent crackdown in Iran’s Zanjan province has resulted in the arrest of five individuals suspected of collaborating with hostile networks. According to a statement released by the IRGC’s security unit in Zanjan, the detained individuals are accused of having ties with enemy forces, having acted as mercenaries and engaging in activities that compromise national security. The statement, as reported by the Tasnim news agency, echoes long-standing warnings from Iranian authorities to citizens at home and abroad against cooperating with or supporting US or Israeli interests, particularly in the context of past conflicts.

In a recent exchange with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, highlighted the pressing need for secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Kallas noted that Iranian attacks on non-military vessels and the looming threat of further incidents have severely disrupted shipping in the Strait. She emphasized that restoring unimpeded, toll-free passage through the waterway, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is a matter of utmost importance.
The EU-China relationship was also a topic of discussion during the conversation between Kallas and Wang Yi.

Iran’s steel production has been severely impacted after a series of coordinated US-Israeli strikes targeted two of the country’s largest steel manufacturing facilities, Khuzestan Steel Company in Ahvaz and Mobarakeh Steel Company in Isfahan province.

Mobarakeh Steel Company reported that its production lines have been completely suspended due to the high volume of attacks. Meanwhile, Mehran Pakbin, deputy head of operations at Khuzestan Steel Company, indicated that the company does not foresee the resumption of halted operations for at least six months, according to a report by Iran’s Mizan Online.

The Houthi movement in Yemen has now become embroiled in the broader regional struggle between their Iranian backers and their adversaries, the United States and Israel, following a missile strike against Israel last week. While their involvement has thus far been relatively contained, with the March 28 attack on Israel being the sole confirmed incident, it has not yet extended to targeting vessels in the Red Sea, a tactic they employed in the aftermath of Israel’s initial assault on Gaza. The question now is how far the Houthis will escalate their involvement in this conflict.

In a strongly worded missive, Qatar has formally lodged a complaint with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, denouncing a spate of Iranian aerial assaults on its soil. According to a statement issued by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, the letter catalogues a string of Iranian drone and cruise missile strikes against Qatari territory between March 28 and April 1, including a particularly brazen attack on an oil tanker within Qatari waters. The letter unequivocally condemns these “unlawful acts”, demanding that Iran provide reparation for the resulting damages, while reaffirming Qatar’s inalienable right to respond to the aggression in accordance with international law.

A high-profile aerial operation in the region has resulted in several individuals sustaining injuries, according to Iranian news outlet Fars, which specifies that the assault occurred on a notable bridge connecting the capital city of Tehran to Karaj, a major urban center situated west of the capital.

In a devastating escalation of the conflict, Iran’s healthcare sector has suffered a significant blow, with a century-old research hub coming under attack. The Pasteur Institute of Iran, a revered institution with a rich history, was reportedly targeted in the assault.
According to the Iranian Red Crescent, a staggering 316 medical facilities have been either severely damaged or completely destroyed since the war began. This alarming figure includes a range of critical healthcare and medical service establishments.
Among the facilities that have been targeted are the Tovafogh-e Darou Pharmaceutical Research and Production Institute in western Tehran province, Gandhi Hospital in the capital city, and Farabi Hospital and Medical Centre in Kermanshah, a region in western Iran.

A mounting threat of widespread attacks on Iran’s essential civilian infrastructure, including power and desalination facilities, has sparked intense criticism from experts and human rights organizations. This escalation, which would add to the already substantial number of civilian sites affected in the ongoing conflict, has been met with fierce condemnation. According to estimates, over 113,000 civilian sites have been targeted in the war so far.

Former US Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues Stephen J Rapp has unequivocally stated that any attacks on desalination plants would constitute a clear war crime, leaving little room for doubt. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has called on Congress to halt funding for military operations that could further escalate the conflict and to launch an investigation into potential war crimes committed by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The recent US-Israeli military actions in Iran coincide with Israel’s declared intention to destroy homes near the border in southern Lebanon. Medical Aid for Palestinians has accused Israel of employing a similar strategy to that used in Gaza, where the Israeli military has forcibly displaced a significant portion of the population.