US President Donald Trump has suggested the possibility of targeting Iran’s water purification facilities as part of the ongoing conflict with Tehran, alarming several Gulf allies. These countries expressed deep concern that such attacks would constitute war crimes under international law, which prohibits strikes on civilian infrastructure. Regional sources told CNN that Gulf states have privately warned the Trump administration against such actions, fearing devastating retaliatory attacks.

Andrew Friedman, director of the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), cautioned that even threatening actions that could amount to war crimes unsettles allied nations, as they do not want to be complicit in such acts. The report noted that Iran has previously retaliated against US allies in the Gulf following US-Israeli strikes, and many Gulf nations rely heavily on desalination plants for drinking water.

Experts warned that if Iran responds by attacking Gulf desalination facilities, it could trigger a severe humanitarian crisis. Despite private warnings, no Gulf state has publicly opposed Trump’s stance, leaving the regional conflict increasingly volatile and complex.

US President Donald Trump said the ongoing US military operation in Iran could end within two to three weeks. Speaking at the White House, he described Iran’s new leaders as less radical and more reasonable compared to their predecessors. Trump stated that the joint US-Israeli strikes launched on February 28 had achieved their main objectives, including reducing Iran’s nuclear weapons capability.

According to Trump, the attacks that began in late February killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and several senior military and civilian officials. He claimed that the United States now dominates Iran’s airspace and that the leadership change in Tehran has made the regime more moderate. Trump also alleged that Iran’s new leaders are seeking a deal to end the conflict, though Iran has publicly denied such claims.

Trump added that the war could end even without a formal agreement between the two sides, suggesting a possible near-term de-escalation of hostilities.

More than a month after the joint US-Israel attack on Iran, US Defense Secretary Hegseth publicly acknowledged that Iran’s ballistic missiles do not pose a threat to the American mainland. Speaking at his first press conference since March 19, he said the missiles cannot reach US territory, contradicting the White House’s repeated characterization of Iran as an ‘imminent threat.’

Hegseth explained that the ongoing conflict is aimed at protecting US assets and allies in the region, adding that President Trump expects European partners to take reciprocal action. He also expressed frustration over the lack of support from allied nations, noting that assistance requests are often met with hesitation and obstacles.

The day before Hegseth’s remarks, President Trump urged the United Kingdom via Truth Social to take control of the Strait of Hormuz, calling on allies to show greater resolve in defending their own interests.

A United States Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jet crashed near Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, March 31. The incident occurred about 25 miles northeast of Indian Springs within the controlled airspace of the Nevada Test and Training Range. Authorities confirmed that the pilot ejected safely, sustaining only minor injuries, and is currently under medical care.

According to the public affairs office at Nellis Air Force Base, the crash site lies within a restricted military zone, ensuring that no nearby civilian areas were affected. Emergency response teams quickly reached the location and carried out rescue operations. Officials stated that the cause of the crash remains unknown and that an investigation is underway.

The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter developed under the Joint Strike Fighter program. It is designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, electronic warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.

A drone strike hit the Sarsang oil field in Iraq’s Kurdish region on Wednesday, according to a Reuters report. The attack occurred in Duhok province, but no casualties have been reported so far. The incident adds to a series of recent drone-related disruptions in the region’s energy infrastructure.

Iraq’s National News Agency stated that a similar drone attack had earlier targeted the Lanaz oil refinery in Erbil city. Following that strike, all operations at the refinery were suspended. The latest attack underscores ongoing security concerns surrounding vital oil facilities in northern Iraq.

Authorities have not yet provided details about the source of the drones or the extent of the damage, leaving questions about the broader impact on oil production and regional stability.

Iran’s conflict with the United States and Israel has entered its second month, with Iran continuing retaliatory attacks on U.S. installations. In solidarity with Iran, Yemen’s Houthi movement has threatened to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to increase pressure on Israel and the United States, according to Al Jazeera.

Reporting from Sana’a, Al Jazeera’s correspondent Youssef Mawri said Houthi attacks on southern Israel have intensified. Houthi leaders declared that their operations will not stop until their conditions are met, including Israel’s acceptance of a ceasefire in Gaza and the cessation of Israel’s participation in U.S. military actions against Iran.

Senior Houthi leader Mohammed al-Bukhaiti stated that the group still has several strategies to escalate the conflict, one of which could be the complete closure of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

An Israeli airstrike in central Iran’s Mahallat city has killed the chief engineering officer of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) Quds Force, according to the Israeli military. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the strike took place on Tuesday and identified the victim as Mahdi Wafai, who was described as the head engineer of the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps.

In its statement, the IDF said Wafai had been involved for two decades in advancing secret projects in Lebanon and Syria, including building infrastructure and managing arsenals for Hezbollah. The military further claimed that he led efforts to construct underground facilities for Hezbollah and the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad, and oversaw dozens of underground projects used to store advanced weapons in Lebanon.

Iranian authorities have not issued any immediate comment regarding the reported strike or the death of Wafai, according to the source.

An Iranian cruise missile attack in Qatar damaged an oil tanker on April 1, 2026, according to the Qatari Ministry of Defense. The ministry reported that Iran launched three cruise missiles, two of which were intercepted, while the third struck a tanker leased by QatarEnergy. All 21 crew members were safely evacuated, and no casualties were reported.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirmed that the vessel was hit on its port side but stated that all sailors were safe. Authorities have begun an investigation into the incident and reported no environmental impact. The Qatari ministry shared details of the attack on social media platform X.

The incident adds to regional tensions, though officials emphasized that the situation is under control and that safety measures were promptly enacted following the strike.

An oil tanker was damaged off the coast of Doha, Qatar, after being struck by a projectile, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations on Wednesday. The agency reported that the vessel was hit on its port side, but all crew members were confirmed safe. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and stated that there were no environmental impacts.

The report follows a similar attack a day earlier near Dubai, where a tanker carrying two million barrels of oil from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia was damaged in a drone strike attributed to Iran. Local officials said the Dubai incident caused a fire on the vessel, which was later extinguished, and all crew members remained unharmed.

The consecutive attacks highlight rising maritime security concerns in the Gulf region, though the source did not specify who was responsible for the Qatar incident or whether the two events were connected.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent briefings on the ‘Epic Fury’ strategy toward Iran reflect ideas similar to those proposed by Italian General Giulio Douhet more than a century ago. Douhet, in his 1921 book ‘The Command of the Air,’ argued that future wars would be decided by large-scale aerial bombardment targeting not only military forces but also civilians, infrastructure, and supply systems. Hegseth’s emphasis on destroying Iran through airstrikes echoes this early 20th-century doctrine.

Although Hegseth has described his approach as a new American strategy, the resemblance to Douhet’s concepts suggests it is not an innovative war policy. The US official has also spoken about breaking civilian morale, stating that their mission involves killing enemies and undermining their will to fight. He expressed hope that the Iranian people would seize what he called an extraordinary opportunity, aligning with President Donald Trump’s message that “now is your time.”

The report highlights that the belief in easy victory through air power may be a misconception, as history shows the limits of such strategies.

A Mexican immigrant died while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Los Angeles, bringing the total number of deaths in ICE detention to 14 during the first three months of 2026. ICE confirmed the death on Monday, stating that security staff at the Adelanto Detention Center found José Guadalupe Ramos unconscious in his bunk. He was taken to a local hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

ICE reported that Ramos had been arrested on February 23 in Torrance, California. He had prior convictions in 2025 for drug possession and theft. Medical examinations at the time of his detention revealed diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension. In 2025, at least 31 people died in ICE custody, the highest number in two decades, and the figure continues to rise. Critics have described the detention policy as deadly for detainees.

Mexico’s foreign minister said the government will raise the issue of migrant detainee deaths with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

A Bangladeshi national was killed in a drone-related incident in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, according to the country’s official media office. Gulf News reported that a drone was shot down in the area, and debris from the destroyed aircraft struck the Bangladeshi worker, who was employed at a farm in Fujairah’s Al Riffa area. The incident occurred as authorities were monitoring the situation on site.

The UAE has not yet released the victim’s name or further personal details. Officials stated that security forces are working to ensure safety in the surrounding areas and are closely observing developments. They urged the public to rely solely on official sources for information and warned that spreading unverified reports could cause unnecessary panic.

Authorities continue to assess the situation in Fujairah, emphasizing the importance of accurate information dissemination during such security incidents.

A Russian military transport aircraft crashed in Crimea, killing 29 people, according to the country’s defense ministry. The incident occurred on the evening of March 31 near a mountain peak close to the Black Sea. The ministry confirmed that the victims included six crew members and 23 civilian passengers. The aircraft, identified as an AN-26, disappeared from radar around 8 p.m. Moscow time while on a scheduled flight within Crimea.

Russian authorities have not clarified the total number of people on board, but no survivors have been reported. State news agencies TASS and RIA cited defense officials as saying that preliminary investigations suggest a technical malfunction caused the crash.

The AN-26 model has been in service since the 1960s and is primarily used for cargo transport. Several previous accidents involving this aircraft type have been recorded, according to the report.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that seven people were killed and at least twenty-one others were injured in Israeli airstrikes targeting southern Beirut and nearby areas. According to an official statement, five people died and twenty-one were wounded in an attack on the Jnah area of Beirut. Another strike on a car in Khaldeh, just south of the capital, killed two more people and injured three.

The ministry released two separate statements detailing the casualties from the attacks, which occurred in densely populated urban zones. The incidents mark another escalation in violence affecting Lebanon’s capital and its southern suburbs.

The report, citing The Guardian, did not provide further details about the targets or the timing of the strikes, leaving the broader context of the attacks unclear.

Japan has deployed long-range missiles in its southwestern region close to China, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced on Tuesday. The missiles have been stationed in Kumamoto, Kyushu, as part of Tokyo’s effort to strengthen its military capabilities in response to increased Chinese naval activity in the East China Sea. Koizumi said the deployment would enhance Japan’s deterrence against potential aggression and ensure the safety of its forces.

The land-to-ship guided missile system has a range of about 1,000 kilometers, bringing parts of China’s mainland, including Shanghai, within reach. Koizumi also confirmed the deployment of a “hyper velocity gliding projectile” in Shizuoka to protect remote islands. Japan, traditionally committed to a self-defense-only policy, has been expanding its defense posture amid growing military activity from China, Russia, and North Korea. In 2022, Tokyo approved plans to deploy counterstrike-capable missiles.

Local media reported that Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force moved missile launchers into Kumamoto without prior notice to residents, prompting small-scale protests near a military base. Critics warned that the deployment could make nearby areas potential targets.