Iran Attacks Day 28: US-Israel Response & Latest News

President Donald Trump has delayed planned attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure by 10 days, until April 6, citing progress in peace talks, though Iranian officials have described a U.S. proposal as “one-sided and unfair.” As the war enters its 28th day, diplomatic efforts are intensifying to prevent a wider regional conflict.

In Iran

• Military strikes and casualties: U.S. and Israeli forces have continued to bombard Iranian cities, resulting in more than 1,900 deaths in Iran to date.
• Iran’s retaliation: Tehran has responded by firing missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf states, including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
• Trump pushes back deadline: Trump paused planned attacks on Iranian energy plants until April 6 at 8pm Eastern Time (00:00 GMT on April 7), stating that talks are “going very well”.
• Negotiations and demands: Iran has called the U.S. proposal “one-sided and unfair” and presented five non-negotiable demands.
• Unacceptable demands: Iran’s five-point proposal includes reparations for the war and continued Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, which is viewed as likely unacceptable to the White House.
• Actions over words: Reports from Tehran indicate that Iranians are focusing on ongoing attacks, not U.S. claims of progress in talks, and view the continuing strikes as a sign that Washington is not serious about a deal.
• US, Israel target Iran steel: US-Israeli air strikes have damaged two major steel plants in Iran, according to Iranian media reports.
• Iran turns back ships: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said they had turned back three ships attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, adding the route was closed to vessels travelling to and from ports linked to its “enemies”. Analysts note that this incident demonstrates that “safe passage could not be guaranteed”.

War diplomacy

• Diplomatic efforts: Mediators are pushing for possible in-person talks between Iranian and American officials, potentially as soon as this weekend in Pakistan, according to Egyptian and Pakistani officials.
• Putin hoping for Mideast diversion: Russian President Vladimir Putin is hoping the war will shift the focus from his “crimes” in Ukraine, German foreign minister Johann Wadephul said during a meeting of G7 foreign ministers.

• G7 seeks US clarity on Iran: G7 allies pressed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for clarity on Washington’s Iran strategy, while the UK called for a “swift resolution” to restore regional stability.

• UN Security Council meeting:  The UN Security Council will hold closed-door consultations on Friday to discuss attacks on Iran at Moscow’s request, Russian state media reported.

In the Gulf

• Direct attacks and interceptions: Neighbouring Gulf states are facing near-daily bombardments as Iran continuously fires missiles and drones.
• United Arab Emirates: Debris from an intercepted projectile in Abu Dhabi killed two people and injured three. The two people killed were from India and Pakistan. At least one of those injured was from India, too.
• Kuwait: The country’s main commercial port was damaged in a drone attack at dawn. The Shuwaikh port was targeted “by enemy drones, preliminary reports revealed material damage but no human casualties”, the Kuwait port authority said in a statement on X.

In the US

• Weapons supply strain: The ongoing war is stretching U.S. military supplies, and the administration is considering redirecting air defence interceptor missiles initially meant for Ukraine to the Middle East.
• Diplomatic meetings in DC: Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani visited Washington, DC, to meet with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to discuss security cooperation and regional defence strategies.
• Rising disapproval and gas prices: The war is negatively impacting Trump’s approval ratings, with rising fuel prices driving domestic pressure and a Fox News poll indicating 64 percent disapprove of his handling of the Iran war, with only 36 percent approving.
• Shift to social media: As trust in traditional television coverage of the war wanes, some Americans are increasingly turning to algorithm-driven social media feeds for their news and seeking out opposing views to those mainstream media highlights.

In Israel

• Israeli army seeks more soldiers: The military said it needs more troops in southern Lebanon, where forces are fighting Hezbollah to establish a “buffer zone”.
• Israeli opposition leader attacks government: Opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid accused the government of leading Israel into a “security disaster” by sending the army into a multi-front war without a strategy or enough troops.
• Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon: The Israeli army announced the death of two soldiers in south Lebanon, where its troops have tried to occupy territory and seize villages and towns in recent days.
• Israel vows continued attacks: Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said there will be “no let-up” in attacks on Iran despite U.S. claims that peace talks are progressing.

In Iraq, Lebanon

• Blasts in Beirut: Lebanese media reported an Israeli attack on Beirut’s southern suburbs early on Friday.
• US air strikes on Iraqi bases: The US struck Habbaniyah base in Iraq’s Anbar province, killing between five and seven Iraqi soldiers and wounding 23.
• Oil exports: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused Iraq’s oil exports to plummet by more than 70 percent.
• Mounting casualties: The death toll in Lebanon from Israeli attacks has now reached 1,116.
• Fears of annexation: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has warned the United Nations of the “risk of annexation” by Israel of Lebanese territory south of the Litani River.
• Lebanon faces humanitarian crisis: The UN said Lebanon risks a “humanitarian catastrophe” after more than 1.2 million people, one in five residents, were displaced.

Oil markets

• World Bank to respond ‘at scale’ to war: The World Bank said it was prepared to provide immediate financial assistance to emerging market countries “ready to respond at scale”.
• Russian oil arrives in the Philippines: According to an AFP news agency report, a ship carrying more than 700,000 barrels of Russian crude oil has arrived in the Philippines, after the country declared a national emergency.
• Regional concerns: ACLED analyst Pearl Pandya told Al Jazeera that South Asian countries rely heavily on the region and do not want Iran’s government to collapse or the Gulf economies to be destabilised.