US & ‘Israel’ at war with Iran | Day 26 coverage

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday rejected claims by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that its air defenses had struck a US F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet over the southern Iranian port city of Chabahar.

The IRGC announcement, first reported by Iranian state media, asserted the jet was hit by newly deployed advanced air-defense systems.

CENTCOM labeled the assertion “FALSE” and stated that “no US fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran.”

Iranian forces have repeatedly said they carried out successful strikes against US and allied aircraft in recent weeks, many of which have been disputed by American officials.

FALSE: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a U.S. F/A-18 fighter was struck over Chabahar using new advanced air defense systems.

TRUE: No U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran. pic.twitter.com/I25QFjYo0l

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 25, 2026

‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that his forces are expanding a "buffer zone" in southern Lebanon as the war with Hezbollah escalates.

The ‘Israeli’ military said Wednesday that a reserve soldier was “severely injured” due to rocket fire from Hezbollah targeting ‘Israeli’ troops in southern Lebanon.

“The soldier was evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment,” the statement added.

Hebrew media said another two soldiers were lightly injured.

Images released by the Iranian state broadcaster on Tuesday show what it says is the "81st wave" of missiles launched against ‘Israeli’ targets.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf on Wednesday warned of a potential invasion of one of Iran’s islands, allegedly supported by an unnamed regional country.

Ghalibaf wrote on X that “based on some intelligence reports, Iran’s enemies are preparing to occupy one of Iran’s islands with the support of a regional state.”

He added, “Our forces are monitoring all enemy movements, and if they take any action, all critical infrastructure of that regional country will be targeted with relentless and continuous attacks.”

Several Gulf countries, as well as Jordan, demanded in a joint statement that Iraq act immediately to stop attacks from its territory by armed pro-Iran groups.

The statement was signed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.

Some groups in Iraq belonging to the pro-Tehran movement the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claim daily to have carried out "dozens" of drone and rocket attacks against "the enemy" in Iraq and the Middle East, without naming their targets.

The United States and Iran are still engaged in peace talks, the White House said Wednesday, despite Iranian state media saying Tehran had rejected Washington's plan to end the war.

"Talks continue. They are productive," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said when asked about the Iranian report, adding that there were "elements of truth" to media reports on the details of a 15-point US plan setting out demands on Tehran.

US President Donald Trump is ready to "unleash hell" on Iran if Tehran does not accept a deal to end the war in the Middle East, the White House warned on Wednesday.

"If Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment, if they fail to understand that they have been defeated militarily and will continue to be, President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a briefing.

"President Trump does not bluff and he is prepared to unleash hell. Iran should not miscalculate again."

Russia said Wednesday it was "deeply outraged" by a reported strike on the grounds of Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, which it partially constructed and helps operate.

"We are extremely outraged by this reckless, irresponsible manifestation of a disastrous course," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.

A projectile landed within the plant's compound on Tuesday night, Iran's atomic energy organisation said, accusing the United States and ‘Israel’ of being responsible.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya, the military’s operational command, said Wednesday the status of the Strait of Hormuz “will not return to what it was before the war,” declaring the vital maritime route closed “to oppressors and their allies.”

The command also said it had “firmly rewritten the rules of transit” through the strait, adding that permission for passage is now “in our hands.”

‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that his forces were expanding a "buffer zone" in southern Lebanon as the war with Hezbollah rages. 

"We have created a genuine security zone preventing any infiltration toward the Galilee and the northern border," Netanyahu said in a video statement.

"We are expanding this zone to push the threat from anti-tank missiles further away and to establish a broader buffer zone."

Images released by Iranian state TV on Tuesday show what it says are cruise missiles launched by the army at the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his country accomplished a “great military achievement” in Iran. 

“The Radical Left, Country Hating Democrats are trying to create inner chaos to take away from the great military achievement we are having in Iran,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“They hate seeing us WIN so completely and decisively, but the American public sees what is going on. AMERICA FIRST! President DJT”

‘Israeli’ first responders deploy in the central city of Bnei Brak after Iranian strikes on Tuesday night.

The paramedics said they treated three injured people.

Footage of an Iranian ballistic missile landing near a power station in Hadera, north ‘Israel’.

The ‘Israel’ Electric Corporation said that no damage was caused to its infrastructure following the attack.

Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said Wednesday that debris from an “explosive object” fell on the Desert Highway in the Al-Rashadiya area, with no injuries or significant damage reported.

The spokesperson for the Public Security Directorate said the relevant authorities are handling the remnants of the explosive object at the site.

He urged the public to comply with instructions issued by security personnel in the area until the incident is fully dealt with.

In a strong statement, an Iranian military spokesperson declared that "the world’s self-proclaimed superpower faces a resounding strategic defeat."

Speaking from the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, he warned that stability in the region is guaranteed by Iran’s armed forces and will not return to previous conditions until threats against the Iranian nation are fully removed.

He emphasized: “Our first and last word has been, is, and will be: someone like you will not reach a compromise - not now, and not ever. Victory comes only from Allah.”

Iranian state television, citing an unidentified senior official, said Wednesday that Iran had rejected a peace plan proposed by the United States to end the Middle East war.

"Iran has responded negatively to an American proposal aimed at ending the ongoing imposed war," the official said, according to the English language broadcaster Press TV.

"The end of the war will occur when Iran decides it should end, not when Trump envisions its conclusion."

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa visit injured people receiving medical treatment in Manama, following Iranian attacks.

Iran has said that “non-hostile” ships are permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, as the strait’s closure continues to impact international oil supply.

An animated tracker from MarineTraffic shows a few ships sailing into the Strait of Hormuz on March 24, and almost no movement of vessels on March 25.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations said on Tuesday that ships will “benefit from safe passage” through the strait provided they “neither participate in nor support acts of aggression against Iran and fully comply with the declared safety and security regulations.”

The strait handles approximately 20 percent of the world’s oil traffic, amounting to 21 million barrels per day.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said Wednesday that negotiating with ‘Israel’ under fire would amount to "surrender" for Lebanon, and urged the government to reverse its ban on the party's military activities.

"When negotiations with the Israeli enemy are proposed under fire, this is an imposition of surrender," Qassem said, rejecting the Lebanese president's initiative to start direct negotiations "with an enemy that occupies our land and carries out daily attacks".

Qassem called on the Lebanese people to embrace "national unity," saying this could be achieved by the government reversing its March 2 decision to ban Hezbollah's military activities.

Proposals from the United States to end the war in Iran have been sent to Tehran through Pakistani intermediaries, two senior officials in Islamabad told AFP on Wednesday.

Both confirmed that the 15-point plan to stop the fighting, which has spread across the Gulf and Middle East, had been "conveyed to Iran via Pakistan".

Pakistan is being touted as a possible mediator given its longstanding ties with both neighbouring Iran and the United States, as well as close contacts in the region.

The Jordan Armed Forces announced that Iranian projectiles targeted the Kingdom with five missiles and one drone over the past 24 hours.

The military’s Media Directorate said the Royal Jordanian Air Force successfully intercepted 5 of the incoming threats, while one missile was not intercepted.

Separately, a spokesperson for the Public Security Directorate said authorities handled 15 reports related to falling debris and remnants of projectiles across the country in the same timeframe.

Officials confirmed no injuries were reported, with damage limited to material losses.

Authorities reiterated warnings against approaching or handling any suspicious objects or debris due to safety risks. Citizens were urged to follow official guidance and report any suspicious items to emergency services via 911.

The spokesperson also stressed the importance of relying on official sources for information and avoiding the spread of rumors and misinformation.

Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported that rescue teams came under a joint US and 'Israeli' attack while removing debris at a site previously hit by airstrikes in the capital.

According to the agency, the incident occurred as emergency crews were conducting search and recovery operations following earlier bombardment in Tehran. No immediate official figures were released on casualties or damage.

Sirens sound to announce end of alert period

Air raid sirens blare across Jordan

The UAE Interior Ministry announced that its air defense systems are responding to a missile threat.

Air raid sirens echoed in Safed and several towns across the Galilee amid fears of a possible drone incursion.

Iran fired cruise missiles at the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, the military said in a statement carried by state television, warning of further launches when the strike group's ships come in range.

"The Iranian Navy's Qader cruise missiles (shore-based anti-ship missile) targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier belonging to the US and forced it to change its position," the statement said.

It cited Navy chief Admiral Shahram Irani, who said the carrier group's movements were "constantly being monitored... and as soon as this hostile fleet comes within range of our missile systems, it will be subjected to powerful strikes by the Iranian Navy".

UN rights council says will hold urgent debate Friday on strike on Iran school

Sirens sound to announce end of alert period

Explosions hit central Israel following rocket fire from Iranian territory

Air raid sirens blare across Jordan

The spokesperson for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the country's main military command (without mentioning the US and Trump’s name) has talked about "the self-proclaimed global superpower" - saying "do not call your defeat an agreement".

Ebrahim Zolfaghari has said in a video message published by Iranian outlets today that "has the level of your internal conflict reached the point where you are negotiating with yourselves?"

"You will see neither your investments in the region nor the former prices of energy and oil again, until you understand that stability in the region is guaranteed by the powerful hand of our armed forces. Stability comes through strength," Zolfaghari said.

He added that "someone like us will never come to terms with someone like you. Not now, not ever".

Air raid targets base in western Iraq, leaving several security personnel dead and injured.

Britain's annual inflation rate was unchanged at 3.0 percent in February, official data showed Wednesday ahead of an expected jump as the Middle East war has sent oil prices surging.

Rising clothes prices last month were "offset by falls in petrol costs, with prices collected before the start of the conflict in the Middle East and subsequent rise in crude oil prices", noted Grant Fitzner, chief economist at the Office for National Statistics.

A new strike in western Iraq targeted the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi, a security official said Wednesday, a day after a similar attack killed 15 Iraqi fighters.

"Two missiles were fired from a fighter jet" at the same base in Anbar province that was struck on Tuesday, the official said.

Tuesday's strike, the deadliest in Iraq since the start of the Middle East war, prompted the government to grant former paramilitaries within the official armed forces a "right to respond" to any attack against them.

The 'Israeli' Home Front Command reported sirens in the Western Galilee following the detection of rockets launched from Lebanon.

During the past few hours, Hezbollah launched 30 projectiles towards northern 'Israel', Channel 12 reported.

The attacks set off air raid alarms across northern areas, including the city of Safed. Authorities have not yet confirmed any casualties or damage.

Alert period ends in Jordan.

Sirens blare in Jordan amid ongoing regional tensions.

The country’s Ministry of Interior said “the alarm has been sounded” and urged citizens to head to the nearest safe place immediately.

'Israeli' emergency officials report 12 casualties after Iranian missiles hit, including 11 with mild blast and shrapnel injuries and one in moderate condition.

‘Israeli’ forces launched a new air raid on the southern suburbs of Beirut as strikes continue across south Lebanon.

The latest bombardment hit densely populated areas in Beirut’s southern suburbs, an area that has faced repeated attacks in recent weeks. ‘Israeli’ forces have also intensified strikes across southern Lebanon.

The Kuwait National Guard announced that it successfully shot down five drones in locations under its protection.

US Central Command has released new unclassified footage detailing the impact of a massive air and sea campaign against Iranian military infrastructure. According to a fact sheet released on Monday, US forces have hit over 9,000 targets inside Iran since the start of the war on February 28.

Iraqi armed factions said they carried out 23 attacks using drones and missiles targeting US military bases in the region over the past 24 hours, according to a statement issued by the groups.

The operations reportedly struck multiple American facilities, though initial reports do not indicate casualties or damage assessments.

Air raid sirens were heard across Tel Aviv and several towns in central ‘Israel’ after reports of missiles launched from Iran toward the region, the Home Front Command said.

A spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the time has come to establish an independent security alliance that excludes the United States and ‘Israel’.

The call aims to strengthen regional security without relying on Western or ‘Israeli’ involvement, according to the statement.

The New York Times reported that the administration of former US President Donald Trump sent its plan to end the ongoing war to Iran through a Pakistani intermediary.

The plan is part of ongoing efforts to negotiate a temporary ceasefire and lay the groundwork for broader talks between Washington and Tehran.

Using Pakistan as a mediator reflects the US strategy to engage Tehran indirectly amid heightened regional tensions and ongoing military exchanges.

Footage captured the moment an Iranian ballistic missile evaded air defenses and struck a multi-story residential building in northern Tel Aviv. The strike, part of a fresh wave of salvos launched by the IRGC, caused significant structural damage to several buildings and ignited fires in the area. 'Israeli' emergency services (Magen David Adom) and police have confirmed multiple impact sites across the city. Preliminary reports indicate at least six people were injured in this specific barrage.

The spokesperson for the Public Security Directorate said that authorities recently dealt with a shrapnel fragment that fell in a sparsely populated area south of the capital.

Officials confirmed that the fragment landed in an open area, causing no injuries or notable damage. Security teams responded quickly to secure the site.

The General Civil Aviation Authority of Kuwait reported that drones struck fuel storage tanks at Kuwait International Airport, causing a fire.

Iranian shelling that set off widespread alarms across Jerusalem and surrounding regions reportedly fell in open areas, according to Ynet.

Following reports of massive explosions in Jerusalem, Hebrew media said ‘Israeli’ air defense systems intercepted incoming missiles over the city.

Sirens activated in Jordan amid danger

The United States has reportedly demanded that Iran shut down its main uranium enrichment facilities, according to Israel’s Channel 12 citing informed sources.

The report said Washington’s request includes the closure of Iran’s प्रमुख enrichment sites in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, which are central to the country’s nuclear program.

Neither US nor Iranian officials have publicly confirmed the reported demand. The development comes amid heightened tensions and ongoing diplomatic efforts tied to the escalating conflict in the region.

Iranian missile scores a direct hit in north ‘Israel’ in the settlement of Safed.

Iran’s armed forces said they carried out drone attacks targeting a facility belonging to ‘Israel’s’ Rafael weapons firm in the northern city of Haifa, according to state-affiliated Fars news agency.

A spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said missiles and drones were launched toward several locations, including Eilat, Dimona, and areas around Tel Aviv. The statement also claimed strikes on what Iran described as US military bases in the region.

Iran said its air defenses intercepted cruise missiles and drones over central and southern parts of the country, amid ongoing exchanges.

Earlier reports indicated that aerospace facilities near Ben Gurion Airport were also targeted, along with refueling aircraft at the site.