US & ‘Israel’ at war with Iran | Day 36 coverage

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Editor’s Note: Roya News English has retracted its previous report regarding the arrest of alleged relatives of the late Qasem Soleimani. Following new statements from the Soleimani family in Tehran, which directly contradict the identification provided by the US State Department, we have updated this story to reflect the developing dispute over the detainees' identities.

The family of the late Iranian General Qasem Soleimani has issued an official denial following the arrest of two women in Los Angeles whom the US State Department identifies as his "niece and grand-niece."

In a statement released via the Fars News Agency, Zeinab Soleimani, the General’s daughter, called the US claims a "lie" and a fabrication.

"The individuals arrested in the United States have no relation to Martyr Soleimani," Zeinab Soleimani stated. "They [the U.S.] have become so wretched and helpless that they intend to distract global public opinion from their defeat... by manufacturing news and spreading lies about the family."

A second daughter, Narjes Soleimani, who serves on the Tehran City Council, echoed the denial, telling Iranian state television: "To this day, no member of the family nor any relative of Martyr Soleimani has resided in the United States."

Dispute Over Identity

The controversy centers on Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter, who were arrested Friday after Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked their green cards.

Rubio announced the enforcement action via a statement on X (formerly Twitter), signaling a hardening stance by the Trump administration against foreign nationals linked to the Iranian government.

 "This week, I terminated both Afshar and her daughter's legal status, and they are now in ICE custody pending removal from the United States," Rubio stated. "The Trump administration will not allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support anti-American terrorist regimes."

The US government has not yet responded to the family's denial, and both women remain in ICE custody pending deportation.

Demonstrations erupted in Tel Aviv and Haifa as protesters called for an immediate end to the war and a return to normal life. Participants voiced frustration over the ongoing conflict, urging authorities to halt military operations and restore stability amid growing public pressure.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters warned that continued escalation would turn the entire region into “hell” for its enemies. 

Two children were killed and 40 people wounded in ‘Israeli’ airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

The ministry said two children were killed and 22 others injured in a strike on the town of Habboush in the Nabatieh district.

In a separate incident, 18 people, including a child, three women, and three paramedics, were wounded in two strikes late Friday targeting the Al-Housh area in the Tyre district.

The strikes also caused damage to the nearby Lebanese Italian Hospital, with shattered windows and collapsed ceiling panels reported while staff and patients were inside.

On the other side, the ‘Israeli’ army confirmed the death of a 21-year-old soldier in a so-called 'friendly fire' incident during ongoing ground operations in southern Lebanon, as clashes continue along the northern front.

Aftermath of war

The escalation comes as the conflict, which expanded to Lebanon on March 2, continues to intensify. According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, the war has killed 1,422 people and displaced more than one million.

Further strikes targeted multiple buildings in the city of Tyre after residents were warned to evacuate. One 11-story building was completely destroyed, while another five-story structure sustained heavy damage. A third strike hit a home in the Burj al-Shamali Palestinian refugee camp.

Additional airstrikes struck the fishermen’s port in Tyre, damaging boats, while another raid destroyed a mosque in the town of Barashit in Bint Jbeil district. The ‘Israeli’ army also reportedly struck a bridge in the western Bekaa for a second consecutive day, leaving it completely destroyed.

Early Saturday, strikes also hit Beirut’s southern suburb following a series of raids the previous day.

Hezbollah said it launched attacks targeting several areas in northern ‘Israel’, including Kiryat Shmona and Misgav Am, as well as ‘Israeli’ forces and vehicles inside southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, a UN security source said 17 surveillance cameras belonging to the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in Naqoura had been destroyed since Friday. The UN also reported an explosion at one of its positions near Adaisseh, injuring three peacekeepers, all of whom were identified as Indonesian.

Indonesia’s foreign ministry condemned the incident, saying that “repeated attacks or such incidents are unacceptable,” following earlier attacks that also killed three Indonesian peacekeepers.

Iran announced on Saturday that it had targeted multiple sites inside ‘Israel’, including the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport, using a combination of missile barrages and drones.

According to Iranian statements, the drone attack focused on key infrastructure at Ben Gurion Airport, including the new control tower, terminal buildings, and navigation and radar systems, aiming to disrupt military air traffic coordination and weaken surveillance capabilities.

Hebrew media acknowledged impacts and damage in several areas, though details remain limited under military censorship. 'Israel’s' public broadcaster reported that two cluster munitions, launched from an Iranian missile, fell near the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tel Aviv. Channel 12 confirmed that military censors permitted publication of the incident near the Kirya complex, which houses the General Staff.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the strikes were part of its 95th wave of operations, targeting areas including Bnei Brak, Petah Tikva, Tel Aviv, and Kiryat Shmona. It stated that advanced missiles were used, including “Qadr,” “Kheibar Shekan,” and “Qassem Soleimani” types, some equipped with cluster warheads.

'Israeli' radio reported that shrapnel from cluster munitions landed in seven locations across central areas, causing material damage and igniting vehicle fires.

An 'Israeli' soldier was killed, and another seriously injured, in an incident of so-called “friendly fire” overnight in southern Lebanon, the military confirmed.

The dead soldier has been identified as Sgt. First Class Guy Ludar, 21, of the Commando Brigade’s Maglan Unit, from Yuvalim. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. during an arrest operation in the southern Lebanese village of Shebaa.

Maglan commandos had raided Shebaa to detain a suspect allegedly aiding Hezbollah. According to an initial 'Israeli' military investigation, one soldier mistakenly identified fellow soldiers as fleeing suspects and opened fire, killing Ludar and seriously wounding another soldier.

• Iran exempts Iraq from any restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, applying measures only to hostile nations.
• He also claimed air defense successes against US aircraft and drones

Ebrahim Zolfagahri, the spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, issued a statement saying that: "Our strong and brave fighters of Islam have delivered decisive strikes, with power, speed, and precision, against enemy fighter jets, helicopters, drones, and aerial vehicles, shooting down a large number of them."

He highlighted Friday as a day of victory, describing it as "Black Friday and humiliation for the American and Zionist enemies," claiming that Iran’s air defense systems successfully targeted a fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet, three strategic drones including MQ-9 and Hermes models, two cruise missiles, an A-10 fighter jet, and two Black Hawk helicopters. Zolfagahri added that the integrated air defense network also guided additional strikes against enemy aircraft.

He stressed Iran’s technological and military capabilities, stating, "Through modern air defense systems developed by the country’s proud young scientists, which are revealed one by one in operational settings, we will fully control our airspace and demonstrate the enemy’s cowardice more than ever before."

Arabic statement for Iraq

He also shared another statement in arabic for Iraqi people, saying, "The Iranian people were never alone; your hearts, tears, and steadfast positions have been with us and will continue to inspire our resolve to continue the struggle."

He also announced that Iraq would be exempt from any restrictions Iran imposed in the Strait of Hormuz, clarifying that these measures "apply only to hostile nations."

Rocket barrages launched by Hezbollah toward northern ‘Israel’ show no signs of stopping, according to reports from Hebrew media outlet Israel Hayom.

A piece of shrapnel landed in the village of Al-Isawiya, causing minor damage. Local authorities have urged residents to stay cautious and report any further incidents as the security situation remains tense.

Multiple explosions were reported in Jerusalem, with some impacts confirmed in the eastern part of the city. Authorities are assessing the situation, and residents have been urged to remain alert and follow safety instructions as investigations continue.

Alert period ends in Jordan.

Sirens sounded across the Galilee, Haifa, and Wadi Ara as rocket barrages were reported from Iran and Lebanon simultaneously.

The attacks mark a new escalation along northern ‘Israel’s’ front, with local authorities urging residents to take shelter while air defense systems respond to incoming threats.

Sirens sound in Jordan.

US President Donald Trump warned Iran that a 10-day window to negotiate a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz is nearing its end, saying only 48 hours remain before “all Hell will reign down” on the country.

In a series of posts on his social media, Trump called a "severely weakened and extremely unreliable partner," while criticizing an error made by the New York Times which referred to as the “North American Treaty Organization” instead of “North Atlantic Treaty Organization.”

Airstrikes by ‘Israeli’ forces targeted the towns of Kfardounin, Bint Jbeil, and Borj Qalaouiyeh in southern Lebanon, while another strike hit Siddiqine in the Tyre district, according to local reports.

In parallel, Hebrew media reported that rockets were launched from Lebanon toward the city of Safed and towns in the Upper Galilee, signaling a renewed escalation along the northern front.

Alert period ends in Jordan.

Authorities sounded the alarm in Jordan, alerting residents to stay sheltered.