Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has described U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to send Iran “back to the Stone Age” as an indication of possible large-scale war crimes. According to Al Jazeera, Pezeshkian said such statements reveal an intent to cause massive destruction, which could be considered a serious violation of international law.

Referring to his discussion with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Pezeshkian noted that he had raised the issue with his Finnish counterpart, who is a legal expert. He added that history contains many examples where silence in the face of crimes has come at a great cost.

The remarks come amid heightened tensions following reports of a U.S. acknowledgment of an Iranian warplane being shot down and warnings that any attack on Iran’s power facilities would constitute a war crime.

Israeli airstrikes have damaged major water supply infrastructure in southern Lebanon, causing widespread disruption to emergency services, according to the South Lebanon Water Establishment. The organization, citing Lebanon’s National News Agency, reported that facilities in Ibl al-Saqi and al-Maysat were hit, leading to significant damage.

The attacks also affected solar-powered systems at the al-Zahiriya station and Eastern Well No. 1 in the Kanarit region. The South Lebanon Water Establishment strongly condemned the strikes, calling them a clear violation of international law and conventions that protect civilian infrastructure.

In its statement, the organization emphasized that targeting essential facilities such as water supply systems contravenes humanitarian principles, which require such infrastructure to remain outside the scope of armed conflict.

Iran has claimed that a United States rescue mission to recover the pilot of a downed American fighter jet has so far failed. According to Iranian media, the country’s air defense system shot down the US aircraft, and images of the wreckage were published by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The report added that the pilot’s condition remains unclear.

Tasnim stated that the US operation involved Black Hawk helicopters and a C-130 Hercules aircraft, but the effort did not succeed. The United States has not issued any official comment on the incident. Al Jazeera reported that the authenticity of Iran’s claims could not be independently verified.

The report also recalled that in March, a US F-35 fighter jet was damaged by an Iranian attack and forced to make an emergency landing, highlighting continuing military friction between the two nations.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency has claimed that the country’s air defense system shot down a US warplane in central Iran. The agency published several photos allegedly showing the wreckage of the aircraft. According to the report, markings on the downed plane suggest it belonged to the United States European Command.

Earlier speculation that the aircraft might be an F-35 was not repeated in Tasnim’s latest report. The agency stated that the plane was part of the 48th Squadron based at the US European Command’s Lakenheath Air Base in the United Kingdom, which it claimed had been deployed to the CENTCOM region for operations against Iran. The report also noted that the US European Command operates several advanced fighter jets, including F-35, F-15, F-22, and F-16 models.

As of the time of reporting, US officials had not issued any formal comment regarding the alleged incident.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defense announced that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed a total of 69 missiles and drones during the latest wave of attacks launched by Iran. The report, published on Friday, cited Al Jazeera as the source of the information.

According to official data, the UAE’s defense forces have been actively responding to repeated aerial assaults since the conflict began. The ministry’s statement indicates that Iran continues to carry out large-scale missile and drone strikes, suggesting an ongoing escalation in hostilities between the two sides.

The figures released by the UAE highlight the intensity of the current confrontation and the continued reliance on advanced air defense systems to counter aerial threats in the region.

The United Kingdom is deploying an air defense system to Kuwait following a drone attack on the country's oil refinery last night. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attack as reckless and discussed the deployment with Kuwait’s Crown Prince during a phone call on Friday morning. A Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister reaffirmed the UK's commitment to supporting Kuwait and Gulf allies.

According to the spokesperson, the deployment aims to protect both Kuwaiti and British personnel as well as regional interests, while avoiding escalation into a wider conflict. The two leaders also agreed on the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, British Defence Secretary John Healey announced that a Rapid Sentry air defense missile system had already arrived in Kuwait to strengthen its defenses.

Downing Street clarified that the move is part of broader efforts to maintain stability in the Gulf region.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has accused Israel of carrying out an attack on a power plant and associated desalination facility in Kuwait. In a statement released by its public relations office, the IRGC condemned the incident as an abnormal and illegal assault on civilian infrastructure. The statement described the attack as evidence of what it called the moral decline of the Zionist regime and denounced it as inhumane.

The IRGC further warned that U.S. military bases and personnel across the Middle East, as well as Israeli military and security installations in the occupied Palestinian territories, could become potential targets. The statement framed the attack as part of a broader pattern of aggression against civilian facilities in the region.

The report did not include any response from Israel or Kuwaiti authorities, leaving the details of the incident and its immediate consequences unclear.

A fire broke out at the Habshan Gas Complex, one of the United Arab Emirates’ major gas processing centers, after debris from an intercepted missile or drone fell on the site. The Abu Dhabi Media Office confirmed the incident and stated that all operations at the gas field have been temporarily suspended to bring the situation under control. No casualties have been reported so far.

According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, authorities have taken swift measures to ensure safety and prevent further damage. The fire response teams are working to contain the blaze and assess the extent of the impact. The cause of the incident was linked to debris from an aerial object that was intercepted before reaching its target.

The temporary shutdown of the Habshan facility underscores the region’s vulnerability to aerial threats and the importance of rapid emergency response in protecting critical energy infrastructure.

Iran has issued a stern warning that it will target US-linked installations across the Middle East if attacks by the United States and Israel intensify. According to Al Jazeera, Ibrahim Zulfaqari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, stated that any strike on Iranian infrastructure would prompt Tehran to destroy all American assets and facilities in the region.

Zulfaqari said the warning was in response to continued threats from US President Donald Trump, who had mentioned plans to destroy Iran’s bridges, power plants, and energy infrastructure. He added that if such threats were carried out, Iran’s armed forces would target US and Israeli energy, economic, and infrastructure sites throughout the Middle East, including in allied countries hosting American military bases.

He further cautioned those countries to expel US forces if they wished to avoid damage. The warning followed Trump’s recent claim that US forces had destroyed one of Iran’s largest bridges, sharing images of a collapsed suspension bridge between Tehran and Karaj on social media.

A recent US intelligence assessment found that Iran has managed to keep about half of its missile launchers intact despite weeks of attacks by the United States and Israel, according to sources cited by CNN. The report also indicated that Tehran still possesses thousands of one-way attack drones, with roughly 50 percent of its drone capability remaining operational.

The assessment contrasts with recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, who claimed that Iran’s missile and drone capabilities had been largely destroyed, leaving only a few launchers and factories intact. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated last month that ballistic missile attacks on US forces had dropped by 90 percent since the conflict began, and the use of one-way or “kamikaze” drones had also decreased by a similar margin.

The differing assessments highlight uncertainty over the true extent of Iran’s remaining strike capacity following sustained US and Israeli operations.

Concerns have grown after reports that recent US-Israel attacks in Iran targeted civilian infrastructure, including universities and heritage landmarks. According to the report, US President Donald Trump suggested on Truth Social that further large-scale strikes could follow, mentioning bridges and power plants as potential targets. The statement has intensified fears of escalating destruction of Iran’s remaining infrastructure.

Under international law, attacks on hospitals, educational institutions, religious sites, and other civilian facilities constitute clear violations of the Geneva Conventions. Since the joint US-Israel military campaign began on February 28, several key civilian sites have reportedly been struck, raising questions about compliance with humanitarian norms.

Observers warn that such actions not only deepen the humanitarian crisis but also represent serious breaches of international law. The situation has heightened regional tensions, with Iran warning of retaliation if attacks continue.

Iran has claimed that around seven million civilians are prepared to fight against any potential US ground invasion. The announcement was made on April 2 by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf through a post on social media platform X. He stated that these civilians have undergone training to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ghalibaf, considered an influential figure in potential US-Iran discussions, said the mobilization reflects a strong national movement across the country.

The claim comes amid ongoing discussions in Iran about national defense readiness. Ghalibaf is the first senior official to publicly mention this figure, though no specific source for the number was provided. Analysts cited in the report said Iran has called for volunteer participation in anticipation of possible conflict with the United States and Israel, including appeals to retired soldiers. Reports also indicate that younger recruits are joining the Basij, the volunteer wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, signaling increased military preparedness.

A spokesperson for Iran’s military warned that any aggression would be met with a response, asserting that the US and Israel lack full knowledge of Iran’s military capabilities.

The ongoing war involving Iran, the United States, and Israel has revealed a widening structural divide within NATO, raising concerns about the alliance’s unity and long-term strategic coherence. U.S. President Donald Trump urged European NATO members to join the Iran conflict, but they refused, calling it a U.S.-Israel war. In response, Trump warned that if Europe would not stand by America, the U.S. would not stand by Europe. Analysts say this disagreement could prove more serious than any external threat NATO currently faces.

The dispute highlights differing strategic priorities between Washington and its European allies. While the U.S. views the Middle East as central to global competition, many European governments remain focused on defending Eastern Europe against Russia. European leaders fear that joining the Iran war would stretch their resources and repeat past mistakes from Iraq and Afghanistan. This divergence has created a growing duality within NATO—between those favoring global engagement and those emphasizing territorial defense.

Observers warn that if NATO fails to reconcile these conflicting visions, the alliance could transform from a unified defense organization into a fragmented system of competing priorities, undermining its credibility and cohesion.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for shooting down another US F-35 fighter jet. According to a Telegram post by the IRGC-controlled Fars News Agency, the aircraft was flying over Iranian territory when it was targeted and destroyed. The IRGC stated that the jet was completely destroyed and crashed, with no information available about the pilot.

Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported that a powerful explosion occurred when the aircraft went down, suggesting that the pilot may not have been able to eject. The report did not provide further details about the location or timing of the incident. The US Central Command has not issued any immediate response to Iran’s claim.

The claim, reported by Al Jazeera and Iranian media outlets, adds to ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States, though independent verification of the incident has not yet been provided.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened additional attacks on Iran’s critical infrastructure, according to a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Thursday. He stated that the U.S. military, which he described as the world’s strongest, has not yet begun destroying what remains in Iran. Trump added that bridges and power plants could be next targets, urging Iran’s leadership to act quickly.

The post came a day after Trump’s national address about “Operation Epic Fury,” which began on February 28. In that address, he warned that the United States would deliver severe blows to Iran within the next two to three weeks, saying the country would be pushed back to the “stone age.” The remarks were reported by Anadolu Agency.

The statements mark an escalation in rhetoric following the launch of Operation Epic Fury, signaling potential intensification of U.S. military actions against Iran’s infrastructure in the coming weeks.