U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday stepped up his threat to hit Iran's critical infrastructure hard 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:
Iran’s head of parliament lashes back at Trump
In a social media post on Sunday, Iran’s parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf dismissed Trump’s recent threats of targeting Iran’s infrastructure as “reckless.”
“You won’t gain anything through war crimes,” Qalibaf wrote on X. “The only real solution is respecting the rights of the Iranian people and ending this dangerous game.”
Top Iranian official threatens closure of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait
A former foreign minister and adviser to the supreme leader warned Sunday that “the resistance front” could target the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the world’s trade typically passes.
“If the White House thinks of repeating its stupid mistakes, it will quickly realize that the flow of global energy and trade can be disrupted with a single signal,” Ali Akbar Velayati said on social media, signaling possible closure of the vital waterway if the U.S. escalates attacks.
Iran leads the so-called “Axis of Resistance,” which includes armed groups in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen, where Houthi rebels had in the past cut off transit through Bab el-Mandeb with attacks on vessels.
Iran has effectively stopped cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict, leading to higher oil and gas prices globally.
Iran floats a new condition for Strait of Hormuz reopening
Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Tabatabaei, a presidential spokesperson, wrote Sunday on the social platform X that the reopening of the vital waterway can only happen if transit revenues are partially earmarked to compensate Iran for war damages.
There has been growing alarm over Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, critical for shipments of oil and gas from the Persian Gulf to Europe and Asia. Trump has threatened to attack Iran’s infrastructure if it fails to reopen the strait by Monday.
Oil-producing countries decide on symbolic output increase
Eight countries from the OPEC+ oil cartel say they will increase production again in May to ensure stability on the oil market — a decision overshadowed by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic due to the Iran war.
The countries said in a statement carried Sunday on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries website that production would be increased by 206,000 barrels per day.
That, however, remains largely on paper due to the loss of an estimated 12 million barrels a day from Persian Gulf producers due to the Hormuz closure.
The countries — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman — warned that damage from attacks on oil infrastructure will take “a long time” to repair and return supply to previous levels.
Such attacks, as well as disruption of navigation, undermine efforts to support stable prices “for the benefit of producers, consumers and the global economy,” they said.
Iranian government minister dismisses Trump threat in AP interview
Iran’s culture minister has dismissed President Donald Trump’s latest threats, calling the U.S. leader an “unstable, delusional figure.”
“Iranian society generally does not pay attention to his statements, as it believes he lacks personal, behavioral and verbal balance, and constantly shifts between contradictory positions,” Sayed Reza Salihi-Amiri told The Associated Press in an interview Sunday.
Trump on Sunday said he would strike Iran’s power plants and bridges this Tuesday if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to marine traffic. In an expletive-laden post, Trump promised the Iranians would be “living in Hell” if the waterway isn’t opened.
“It seems Trump has become a phenomenon that neither Iranians nor Americans are able to fully analyze,” said Salihi-Amiri.
He said the Strait of Hormuz is “open to the world but closed to Iran’s enemies.”
Latest attack from Iran hits Haifa apartment building, Israel’s rescue services say
Paramedics say they rushed to the scene and searched through the rubble to dig out the injured, finding an older man in serious condition. They say three other people were mildly injured, including a baby.
Photos and video showed much of the multistory building reduced to rubble.
The rescuers described the damage as resulting from a direct hit. It was not immediately clear if the building had been struck by an Iranian missile or shrapnel from a missile interception.
2 Black Hawk helicopters were hit during the rescue, but got to safety
The two helicopters were able to navigate to safe airspace, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive information.
It was not clear where the Black Hawks landed or if their crew members were injured.
Iran’s joint military command has claimed it struck two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters.
Kuwait and Qatar report further aerial attacks
The Kuwaiti army said Sunday that Iran had fired a total of nine ballistic missiles, four cruise missiles and 31 drones at Kuwaiti territory over the past 24 hours.
That brings the total number of projectiles that have targeted Kuwait since the war erupted to 740 drones, 336 ballistic missiles and 13 cruise missiles, according to an official statement posted on the social platform X.
Also, the Qatari army reported that it had on Sunday intercepted several drones and two cruise missiles fired by Iran, according to another statement on X.
Muslim civil rights group accuses Trump of mocking Islam
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a nationwide advocacy group, assailed Trump for invoking Allah in his Truth Social post threatening Iran.
“President Trump’s deranged mocking of Islam and his threats to attack civilian infrastructure in Iran are reckless, dangerous, and indicative of a mindset that shows indifference to human life and contempt for religious beliefs,” CAIR said in a statement.
Trump, in his post on Easter Sunday, demanded that Iran open the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday, “or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.”
“The casual use of ‘Praise be to Allah’ in the context of violent threats reflects a disturbing willingness to weaponize religious language while simultaneously denigrating Islam and its followers,” CAIR said.
Iranians say Trump’s threats to strike infrastructure is ‘intent to commit war crime’
Hours after Trump’s expletive-laden post promising Iran will be “living in Hell” over the Strait of Hormuz closure, Tehran’s mission to the U.N. called the open threats to target civilian infrastructure “a direct and public incitement to terrorise civilians and clear evidence of intent to commit war crime.”
“The international community and all States have legal obligations to prevent such atrocious acts of war crimes,” the mission said in a post on the social platform X. “They must act now. Tomorrow is too late.”
Iran says Ahvaz Shahid Soleimani airport hit
Iran state-run television IRIB quoted a security official as saying that so far, no casualties were reported in the aftermath of a US-Israeli strike on Sunday.
Also on Sunday, the United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah government said that Khor Fakkan port was targeted and that no casualties were reported so far, according to a post on the social platform X by the government’s media office.
Earlier, UKMTO said that a captain had witnessed multiple splashes from unknown projectiles near his vessel while conducting loading operations at the same port.
Border crossing between Lebanon and Syria awaits threatened Israeli strikes
The main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria was closed Sunday after the Israeli military warned of plans to strike it the night before, alleging that Hezbollah was using it to smuggle military equipment.
Samir Abdelkhaleq from the Lebanese border town of Majdal Anjar said the closure is an economic blow to many.
“These are real losses for people and for business owners,” he said. “Everyone is just waiting for the strike to be over.”
Syrian authorities, who have a hostile relationship with Hezbollah, have denied that the crossing is being used for smuggling. In recent days, Syria announced the discovery and closure of several tunnels they said were being used by Hezbollah for smuggling.
More than 200,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria in the five weeks since the outbreak of renewed war between Israel and Hezbollah.
US official says CIA launched ‘deception campaign’ to find second crew member
Details about the rescue of a second U.S. crew member in Iran, who was a weapons systems officer, are trickling out hours after Trump’s announcement.
A senior U.S. administration official said Sunday that before locating the crew member, the CIA spread word inside Iran that U.S. forces had already found him and were moving him on the ground for exfiltration.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public, said the campaign managed to confuse Iranian officials while the agency conducted its search-and-rescue operations.
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— Associated Press reporter Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
Over 1,400 people in Lebanon have been killed in war between Israel and Hezbollah militant group
Among the 1,461 killed are 97 women, 129 children, and 54 paramedics, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.
4,430 people have been wounded since the latest fighting began on March 2.
After Hezbollah fired rockets toward northern Israel, the Israeli military launched an intense military operation with daily strikes across the country and a ground invasion into southern Lebanon.
Top satellite imagery provider says US asked it to suspend access to Mideast imagery
The U.S. government has asked top providers of satellite imagery to stop publishing photos from parts of the Middle East because of the Iran war, says the company Planet Labs.
Planet Labs and companies like it provide near-daily imagery crucial to reporting on regions where on-the-ground access for journalists is impossible, limited or unsafe. That has made it an especially key tool for reporting on the Iran war, which has impacted nearly all Middle Eastern countries.
In a Saturday email to users, including the AP, Planet Labs said it was complying with the U.S. government’s requests and would indefinitely delay publication of imagery taken after March 9, 2026. It said it would release new imagery on a “case-by-case basis and for urgent, mission-critical requirements or in the public interest.”
The company said the new measures would be in place until the end of the conflict.
Democratic US Sen. Kaine warns Trump administration on war rhetoric
As he expressed “overwhelming relief” at the rescue of the military personnel in a downed U.S fighter jet in Iran, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine called on the president and his top officials to dial down their rhetoric amid the war in the Middle East.
Kaine referenced remarks from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last month when the latter declared “no quarter, no mercy for our enemies” at a news conference.
“This kind of rhetoric is really dangerous,” Kaine said Sunday in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press.
He added: “That really encourages them to mistreat our folks.”
Turkish foreign minister to meet with Syrian and Ukrainian presidents
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrived in Damascus Sunday, with Turkish media reporting that he will hold a trilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
According to state-run Anadolu Agency, topics of discussion will include joint projects for the rebuilding of Syria as well as regional developments, such as the integration of northeast Syria into the central government and the impact of nearby conflicts in Iran and Lebanon.
Fidan’s last visit to Syria was on Dec. 22, 2025, alongside Defense Minister Yasar Guler and National Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin.
Christians celebrate Easter in wartime Tehran
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.”
Trump offers details of ‘seriously wounded’ pilot's rescue
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.
Trump promises to strike Iran’s infrastructure on Tuesday if Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened
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 threatens more forceful attacks if its civilian installations are targeted
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 other oil 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 says it destroyed 4 US aircraft
Iran’s joint command 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.
Israeli strike severely damages 3-story building in Beirut neighborhood
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.
UAE reports attacks with dozens of missiles and drones
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 becomes the world’s longest
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.
Drone attacks ignite fires at oil and petrochemical facilities in Kuwait
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.
Israel says Iran has launched new missile barrage
The Israeli military said on Sunday that its air defenses are being activated.
Israeli military says it struck 120 targets in Iran in 24 hours
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.
Officials from Iran and Oman discuss transit through the Strait of Hormuz
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.
4-year-old girl among 7 killed in Israeli strike in southern Lebanon
Lebanon’s Health Ministry’s statement Sunday was issued after Israel 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.
Iranian drones attack Bahrain petrochemical plant
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.
Iran says 10 killed, 7 injured from strikes in country’s southwest
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.
Egypt’s foreign minister discusses ways to de-escalate day before Trump’s Hormuz deadline expires
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 that Abdelatty 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.
Hezbollah says it attacked an Israeli military barge with a cruise missile
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.
Production halted at a United Arab Emirates petrochemicals plant after attack
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, Iran foreign ministers discuss de-escalation of war
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.
