LIVE: Trump Issues New Threat to Iran Civilian Infrastructure
The ministry’s spokesperson confirmed that the strike caused significant material damage to the facility
Trump issues 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 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.”
- 30 March 2026 9:45 AM IST
Saudi Arabia says it has intercepted 5 ballistic missiles
Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said early Monday the ballistic missiles were apparently targeting its oil-rich Eastern Province.
- 30 March 2026 9:45 AM IST
Trump says US is negotiating with Iran ‘directly and indirectly’
The president said that Iran had agreed to allow 20 ships carrying oil through the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday morning and continuing over the next few days “out of a sign of respect.”
“I would only say that we’re doing extremely well in that negotiation but you never know with Iran because we negotiate with them and then we always have to blow them up,” Trump told reporters Sunday night board Air Force One as he flew to Washington.
Trump was asked if Iran had responded to the 15-point ceasefire plan the U.S. has proposed and he said, they did and added: “They gave us most of the points. Why wouldn’t they?”
But Trump didn’t offer details when asked about Iran, by his telling, appearing to make major concessions.
“They’re agreeing with us on the plan,” Trump said.
- 30 March 2026 9:44 AM IST
Trump says Iran’s parliament speaker authorized tankers to pass Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump says that Iran’s parliament speaker authorized the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf.
The comment by Trump in an interview published early Monday by The Financial Times is the latest signal by the Americans of Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf’s importance within Iran’s theocracy.“They gave us 10” Pakistani-flagged tankers, he said. “Now they’re giving 20 and the 20 have already started and they’re going right up the middle of the Strait.”“He’s the one who authorized the ships to me,” Trump told the newspaper about Qalibaf. “Remember I said they’re giving me a present? And everyone said: ‘What’s the present?’ ... When they heard about that they kept their mouth shut and the negotiations are going very well.”Qalibaf has maintained a combative personality through his X account in the war, mocking the Americans and issuing threats. But the former Revolutionary Guard commander has seen his profile rise as senior members of its theocracy have been killed. 
30 March 2026 7:44 AM ISTUS Lets Russian Oil Tanker Head to Cuba Amid Fuel Crisis
The United States Coast Guard has allowed a Russian tanker carrying crude oil to proceed toward Cuba, potentially easing the island’s worsening fuel crisis, according to a US official cited by The New York Times. Read more:
