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Israel said it came nether Iranian rocket occurrence connected Thursday (April 2, 2026) aft U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to weaponry the Islamic republic into the “Stone Ages” with dense strikes successful the adjacent 2 to 3 weeks.
In a code from the White House, Mr. Trumpsought to reassure war-weary Americans that the subject run that began connected February 28 was coming to an end, vowing “extremely hard” strikes against Iran.
“Thanks to the advancement we’ve made, I tin accidental contiguous that we are connected way to implicit each of America’s subject objectives shortly, precise shortly,” Mr. Trumpsaid.
The war’s “core strategical objectives are nearing completion”, helium said, informing nevertheless that “over the next 2 to 3 weeks, we are going to bring them backmost to the Stone Ages, wherever they belong”.
His code came arsenic Britain was acceptable to big a gathering onThursday (April 2, 2026) with astir 35 countries connected however to reopen the strategical Strait of Hormuz that Iran has efficaciously blocked without a woody to extremity the war.
The U.S.-Israeli strikes connected Iran that started the warfare killed elder officials successful the Islamic republic’s subject forces and government, including ultimate person Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose lad has since replaced him.
Mr. Trump, whose support standing is sinking implicit the war, indicated that talks whitethorn beryllium imaginable with Iran’s caller leadership, which helium described arsenic “less extremist and overmuch much reasonable” than its predecessor.
He warned that if nary statement with Tehran was struck, Washington had “our eyes connected cardinal targets including the country’s electrical generating plants”.
Despite Mr. Trump’sthreats, Israel’s subject said Iran doubly fired missiles astatine the state aft his address, portion of 4 barrages detected wrong six hours connected Thursday (April 2, 2026).
Iran has dismissed Washington’s ceasefire overtures, describing U.S. demands to extremity the struggle arsenic “maximalist and irrational”.
“Messages person been received done intermediaries, including Pakistan, but determination is nary nonstop dialog with the US,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei, quoted by the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) connected Thursday (April 2, 2026).
Pro-government Iranians successful the superior Tehran were besides defiant astatine the ceremonial of a Revolutionary Guards naval commandant who was killed successful an Israeli strike.
“This warfare has lasted a month. However agelong it takes, we volition continue,” said Moussa Nowruzi, a 57-year-old pensioner. “We volition defy until the end.”
Gulf protection
Mr. Trump besides assured determination allies Israel and Gulf nations that Washington would support them from Iranian retaliatory fire, arsenic much attacks were reported crossed the portion connected Thursday (April 2, 2026).
He addressed Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain — battered by Iranian drone and rocket attacks — that the United States “will not fto them get wounded oregon neglect successful immoderate way, signifier oregon form”.
As Israel prepared for the Passover holiday, which began astatine sunset connected Wednesday (April 1, 2026), aerial raid sirens sounded repeatedly successful the Tel Aviv area.
On Thursday (April 2, 2026), the United Arab Emirates said its aerial defences were again responding to rocket and drone “threats”.
The Revolutionary Guards besides confirmed hitting an lipid tanker successful the Gulf they said belonged to Israel. A British maritime information bureau said the vas was struck disconnected Qatar, reporting harm but nary casualties.
In Lebanon, militant radical Hezbollah said its fighters launched drones and rockets astatine bluish Israel connected Thursday (April 2, 2026), with the Israeli military’s Home Front Command saying aerial raid sirens were activated crossed the border.
A time earlier, Israel killed a apical Hezbollah commander, 2 sources toldAFP, successful a Beirut onslaught that the Lebanese wellness ministry said killed 7 people.
Authorities successful Lebanon accidental Israeli attacks person killed much than 1,300 radical successful the state since warfare erupted betwixt Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah connected March 2.
Hormuz ‘courage’
Hours earlier Mr. Trump’saddress, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian asked the American radical whether the struggle was genuinely putting “America First”, accusing Washington of warfare crimes and of being influenced by Israel.
Mr. Trump had claimed earlier Wednesday (April 1, 2026) that Iran’s president had sought a ceasefire, but said the Islamic republic indispensable archetypal reopen the Strait of Hormuz — which helium said successful his code would hap “naturally” erstwhile the struggle ended.
In his code helium called for countries that person lipid done the Strait of Hormuz to amusement “courage” and prehend the cardinal waterway.
On Thursday (April 2, 2026), the British-led virtual gathering of dozens of nations volition “assess each viable diplomatic and governmental measures that we tin instrumentality to reconstruct state of navigation” successful the strait, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
But Mr. Trump’sremarks did small to calm vigor markets rocked by the waterway’s de facto closure, with lipid prices surging Thursday (April 2, 2026). Brent jumped much than 4% to much than $105, portion West Texas Intermediate climbed 3%to deed astir $103.
One-fifth of planetary lipid usually passes done the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards vowed connected Wednesday (April 2, 2026) to support it unopen to the country’s “enemies”.
After a question of anti-government demonstrations that crested successful Iran successful January implicit economical grievances, immoderate Iranians inactive privately agelong for governmental change, peculiarly aft Mr. Trump himself had promised to travel to their aid.
“He betrayed the Iranians,” said 1 pistillate successful her 30s, requesting anonymity for information reasons. Sounding resigned, she added she nary longer expects a alteration of government, but “if they could assistance america much freedoms, we could unrecorded with that”.
