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 4:44 PM IST
Spain closes airspace for US planes involved in Iran war
Spain has closed its airspace to US planes involved in the Iran war, Defence Minister Margarita Robles said Monday.
Spain had already said the US could not use jointly operated military bases in the country for operations related to the Middle East conflict.
- 30 March 2026 3:42 PM IST
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.
- 30 March 2026 3:33 PM IST
Israel military says soldier killed in south Lebanon
The Israeli military on Monday said a soldier was killed a day earlier in combat in southern Lebanon, bringing to six the number of troops killed since fighting with Hezbollah started earlier in March.
"Sergeant Liran Ben Zion, aged 19, from Holon... fell during combat in southern Lebanon," the military said.
- 30 March 2026 2:41 PM IST
Israel media reports impact on oil refinery in Haifa
Israeli television channels reported an impact at an oil refinery in the northern city of Haifa on Monday, shortly after the military said it had detected new incoming missiles from Iran.
Television network Channel 12 showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky from the site.
- 30 March 2026 2:22 PM IST
Iran confirms killing of Guards navy commander Alireza Tangsiri
Iran confirmed on Monday that Revolutionary Guards commander Alireza Tangsiri had been killed, days after Israel said it targeted him in an air strike.
A statement carried by the Guards' Sepah News website said Tangsiri "succumbed to severe injuries" from the attack.
- 30 March 2026 2:21 PM IST
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.
- 30 March 2026 2:15 PM IST
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.”
- 30 March 2026 12:44 PM IST
Pakistan Says Ready to Facilitate US-Iran Talks Within Days
Pakistan’s foreign minister said Islamabad was ready to facilitate peace talks between the US and Iran in the coming days as the war in the Middle East intensified into its fifth week. “Pakistan is very happy that both Iran and the US have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate their talks,” Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is also the deputy prime minister, said in a televised briefing on Sunday. “Pakistan will be honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in coming days for a comprehensive settlement of the ongoing conflict.”
