LIVE: Message Urges Iranians to Defend Country Amid Trump's Fresh Threat
The ministry’s spokesperson confirmed that the strike caused significant material damage to the facility
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.”
Meanwhile, Trump has issued new threat to Iran civilian infrastructure, including desalination plants, if ceasefire not reached shortly.
Major Updates:
US Sees First Combat Loss of Valuable E-3 Jet: An Iranian missile strike on a base in Saudi Arabia damaged several military jets and destroyed a valuable E-3 Sentry early warning and control aircraft — the first known combat loss for that type.
The roughly $300 million plane was hit in an attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in recent days, according to a person familiar with the matter asking not to be identified discussing sensitive military operations. Unverified photos of the jet showed its tail completely severed, rendering it unflyable.
Indian Worker Killed as Iran Strikes Kuwait's Power Plant: Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said an Indian worker was killed after a service building at a major power and water desalination plant was struck in what authorities described as an Iranian attack on Sunday evening. The ministry’s spokesperson confirmed that the strike caused significant material damage to the facility. Emergency and technical teams were immediately deployed to manage the aftermath and maintain operations.
Trump Suggests US Could Take Iran’s Kharg Island for Oil: U.S. President Donald Trump has raised the idea of American forces seizing Iran’s Kharg Island, its main oil terminal in the Persian Gulf. “Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” Trump told. “It would also mean we had to be there (on Kharg Island) for a while.”
Pakistan says it will host US-Iran talks: 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.
Iran response: Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, dismissed the talks in Pakistan as a cover after some 2,500 U.S. Marines trained in amphibious landings arrived in the Middle East.
Live Updates
- 30 March 2026 10:49 PM IST
India Condemns Strikes on UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon
India on Monday condemned recent attacks on UN peacekeepers deployed in Lebanon, urging all parties to ensure safety and security of the Blue Helmets.
An Indonesian peacekeeper was killed when a projectile exploded in a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) position near Adchit Al Qusayr on March 29. The attack left another peacekeeper critically injured.
- 30 March 2026 10:08 PM IST
Spain shuts its airspace to US aircraft tied to Iran war
Spain has closed its airspace to US planes involved in the Iran war, the defence minister said Monday, marking another step in the government's opposition to US and Israeli involvement in the conflict in the Middle East.
The country had already said the US couldn't use jointly operated military bases in the Iran conflict, which Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has described as illegal, reckless and unjust. - 30 March 2026 8:10 PM IST
Egyptian President, Sisi urges Trump to help end war
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday urged his US counterpart Donald Trump to help end the Middle East war, now in its second month.
"I say to President Trump: no one will be able to stop the war in our region, in the Gulf... Please, help us to stop the war, you are capable of it," Sisi said in joint remarks to the press in Cairo alongside Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. - 30 March 2026 8:09 PM IST
Trump threatens Iran civilian infrastructure if no deal soon
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 is not reached “shortly.”
Tehran meanwhile struck a key water and electrical plant in Kuwait, and an oil refinery in Israel came under attack. Israel and the U.S. launched a new wave of strikes on Iran , as the war raged with no end in sight. - 30 March 2026 6:10 PM IST
Israel renews strikes on Beirut suburbs, kills Lebanese soldier
Israel renewed its bombardment of Beirut's southern suburbs on Monday while continuing air strikes on Lebanon's south, one of which targeted an army checkpoint and killed a soldier.
Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East conflict when Tehran-backed armed group Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel on March 2 in revenge for the killing of Iran's supreme leader, the opening salvo in the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic.
- 30 March 2026 6:09 PM IST
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.
- 30 March 2026 5:59 PM IST
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.”
- 30 March 2026 5:23 PM IST
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.
- 30 March 2026 4:54 PM IST
Ukraine has signed 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.
- 30 March 2026 4:53 PM IST
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.
