Apr 3, 2026 09:12 AM IST
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We have closed this live blog. Click here for the latest updates on the Iran-US-Israel war.
Iran vs US-Israel War News Highlights: US President Donald Trump late Thursday warned Iran of more destruction, after strikes hit the country’s tallest bridge, a 136 metre-high $400m B1 suspension bridge between Tehran and Karaj, according to The Guardian. Claiming responsibility for the destruction, Trump warned Iran to make a deal “before it’s too late.” He also said that Iran’s power facilities will be targeted next.
He also posted a video, which he claimed, showed an Iranian bridge “tumbling down,” and wrote: “There is nothing left of what still could become a great country.” The strikes come a day after he threatened to bomb the country “back to the stone ages”.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday it would be unrealistic to launch a military operation to force open the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump challenged US allies to work towards reopening it.
Trump addressed the nation in a prime-time speech from the White House, asserting that American military objectives in the war against Iran are “nearing completion.” While the President signalled that the conflict could end “very fast,” he warned that US forces would continue to hit Iranian targets “extremely hard” for another two to three weeks to “finish the job.” Hours after his address, Iran’s army chief warned that should the US military land in the Islamic Republic, “not a single person” will survive among the invaders.
The address has sent shockwaves through global markets, with crude oil futures spiking over 5% as Trump suggested the US might exit the conflict without ensuring the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, instead telling allies they must “take care” of the critical shipping lane themselves.
Strategic success: Trump claimed the US has effectively neutralised Iran’s navy, air force, and missile programs, while severely limiting its nuclear ambitions.
The timeline: Though no firm exit date was set, the President repeatedly mentioned a 14-to-21-day window for final operations.
“America first” maritime policy: In a sharp pivot, Trump stated the US does not “need” the Strait of Hormuz as it once did, urging dependent nations to “grab it and cherish it” by taking over security responsibilities.
Economic impact: Acknowledging the surge in fuel costs, the President labelled it a “short-term” necessity, promising prices would drop once the mission concludes.
Tehran: Iranian military officials have vowed “crushing” retaliation against U.S. and Israeli bases, dismissing Trump’s claims of victory as “delusional.”
Israel: Sirens have been reported in northern Israel following a fresh wave of Iranian missile fire shortly after the speech concluded.
New Delhi: The Indian government is monitoring the impact on energy security and the safety of the Indian diaspora, as flight disruptions in West Asia continue.
The Indian Express Global Desk is bringing you live updates, expert analysis, and reports from Jerusalem, Tehran, and Washington. Stay tuned for expert analysis and breaking updates.
Our live coverage of the Middle East war and the global oil crisis has moved here.
Donald Trump has warned that the US will next target the power facilities of Iran.
"Our Military, the greatest and most powerful (by far!) anywhere in the World, hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants! New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST," he said in a post on Truth Social.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted on X stating that the US military installations have been turned into gun-free zones, leaving the service members vulnerable and exposed.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsOur military installations have been turned into gun-free zones—leaving our service members vulnerable and exposed.
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) April 2, 2026
That ends today. pic.twitter.com/IQ204YepZ0
Three Omani ships are navigating the Strait of Hormuz without using Iran’s designated “approved corridor,” according to tracking data cited by shipping journal Lloyd’s List. The group, comprising two oil supertankers and one LNG carrier, is sailing unusually close to the Omani coastline. If they successfully exit the strait, the vessels would be the first tracked ships in nearly three weeks, with active AIS signals, to pass through the waterway without relying on the Iranian route.
- Al Jazeera
Asian markets opened on a mixed but largely positive note on Friday, following a subdued and volatile session on Wall Street overnight.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained over 1%, while South Korea’s KOSPI surged more than 2%. In contrast, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slipped about 0.7%, bucking the broader regional trend.
In the United States, stocks fluctuated on Thursday after President Donald Trump signalled an escalation in the war with Iran. The benchmark S&P 500 ended marginally higher, rising 0.11% from the previous session.
- Al Jazeera
A missile launched from Iran was detected within the past hour, triggering alerts across central Israel. The projectile, believed to be headed toward densely populated areas, struck near the city of Bnei Brak and surrounding towns.
Israeli authorities said the missile was intercepted, but it is suspected to have carried a cluster-type warhead, dispersing impacts across a wider area. At least one person has been reported injured.
- Al Jazeera
Hezbollah said its fighters detonated an explosive device targeting Israeli forces in the Deir Hanna area of al-Bayyadha in southern Lebanon. The group also claimed rocket attacks on gatherings of Israeli troops in the Malkia and Dishon settlements.
- Al Jazeera
Sirens blare in Bahrain for the second time in an hour. The Ministry of Interior has requested people to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.
- Al Jazeera
A missile launched from Iran was detected within the past hour, triggering alerts across central Israel. The projectile, believed to be headed toward densely populated areas, struck near the city of Bnei Brak and surrounding towns.
Israeli authorities said the missile was intercepted, but it is suspected to have carried a cluster-type warhead, dispersing impacts across a wider area. At least one person has been reported injured.
- Al Jazeera
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked the Army’s top uniformed officer to step down, the Pentagon said Thursday without giving a reason for the departure as the United States wages a war against Iran.
Gen. Randy George “will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately,” said Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s top spokesman. George has held the post of Army chief of staff, which typically runs for four years, since August 2023 under the Biden administration.
The ouster, reported earlier by CBS News, is just the latest of more than a dozen firings of top generals and admirals by Hegseth since he took office last year. Like many of those other firings, Pentagon officials are not offering a reason for George’s departure, which comes nearly five weeks into U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran and with no clear timeline from President Donald Trump on when the war may end.
George is a graduate of West Point Military Academy and an infantry officer who served in the first Gulf War as well as Iraq and Afghanistan. He also served as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s top military aide from 2021 to 2022 during the Biden administration before taking on top leadership roles in the Army.
AP
US President Donald Trump said US forces will “finish the job” in Iran soon as “core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” in a full-throated defense of the war Wednesday night in his first national address since the conflict began more than a month ago.
He suggested that the US military could meet his estimated timeline for concluding operations within two to three weeks.
The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush is slated to go to the Middle East along with three destroyers, two U.S. officials said. The carrier strike group consists of more than 6,000 sailors. It comes as thousands of soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division have also begun arriving in the Middle East, according to two other U.S. officials, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that it is time for Iran to make a deal “before it is too late” and posted a video, which he claimed, showed an Iranian bridge “tumbling down”.
AP
Leading Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was detained by Iranian intelligence agents at her house in Tehran overnight, her daughter said Thursday.
Prize-winning Nasrin Sotoudeh, 64, is renowned for defending activists, opposition politicians and women prosecuted for removing their headscarves. She has been imprisoned multiple times and is currently out on bail for health reasons.
- AP
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Thursday delivered a "clear" message to the US, Israel and Iran to stop the war in West Asia, warning that the world is on the "edge of a wider war".
"My message is clear. To the United States and Israel, it is high time to stop the war that is inflicting immense human suffering and already triggering devastating economic consequences.  To Iran, to stop attacking their neighbours," Guterres said in remarks to reporters here.
- PTI
Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov on Thursday said that the Strait of Hormuz was open for Russia. "It is open for us," said Ushakov, speaking on Russian state TV channel, the Interfax news agency reported.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that it is time for Iran to make a deal "before it is too late" and posted a video, which he claimed, showed an Iranian bridge "tumbling down".
Iran on Thursday claimed that it carried out a drone attack on US fighter jets at the al-Azraq base in Jordan, reported Reuters.
Stocks recovered most of their earlier losses as volatility returned to Wall Street after two days of solid gains. The S&P 500 fell 0.1% after slumping as much as 1.5% in early trading Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 87 points, or 0.2% as of 11:08 a.m. Eastern. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Stocks in Europe pared their losses.Oil prices remained elevated although down from earlier highs. The price for a barrel of U.S. crude rose close to $114 a barrel at one point.
(AP)
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday that they had targeted an Amazon cloud computing centre in Bahrain in retaliation for attacks on Iran, according to a statement carried by state media, reported news agency Reuters.
Iran is drafting a protocol with Oman to monitor traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, state news agency IRNA cited Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi as saying on Thursday.
(Iran International)
The UNSC is holding a session on the UN and Gulf cooperation in maintaining peace and security in the Middle East.
(Al Jazeera)
As diplomats from more than 40 countries met to discuss ways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the talks show “the strength of our international determination” to reopen the vital oil route.
She told officials attending the virtual meeting that “we have seen Iran hijack an international shipping route to hold the global economy hostage.”
(AP)
Over the past 24 hours, Israeli strikes killed 27 people and wounded 105, the Lebanese health ministry said Thursday.
The ministry said that overall, strikes have killed 1,345 people, including 125 children and 91 women, since Israel launched intense airstrikes across Lebanon after the Hezbollah militant group fired rockets toward northern Israel in solidarity with Iran on March 2. The strikes have also wounded 4,040 others.
(AP)
Iranian state television aired a video on Thursday showing members of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard putting messages denouncing Trump on missiles they prepared to launch. One of the messages read, in part: “Thank you to all those who, even in America itself, condemn the war wage by the CRIMINAL GANG IN THE WHITE HOUSE.”
Another referenced Jeffrey Epstein.
(AP)
An attack on a highway bridge, known as “the highest bridge in the Middle East”, from the capital, Tehran, to the city of Karaj has injured many people, Iran’s Fars news agency reported.
US-Israeli strikes also targeted other areas in Karaj, located west of Tehran.
(Al Jazeera)
India on Thursday said it is in touch with Iran and other countries to ensure safe and unimpeded passage for Indian vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, amid rising tensions in the region.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the United Kingdom has invited several countries, including India, for talks on the Strait of Hormuz. India’s Foreign Secretary is attending the meeting later in the evening.
"The UK side has invited several countries, which also include India, for talks on the Strait of Hormuz. From our side, the Foreign Secretary is attending the meeting this evening," Jaiswal said.
(ANI)
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#watch | Delhi: MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "The UK side has invited several countries, which also include India, for talks on the Strait of Hormuz. From our side, the Foreign Secretary is attending the meeting this evening..."
— ANI (@ANI) April 2, 2026
He further says, "We are in touch with… pic.twitter.com/1rKIZmK2Ge
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday it would be unrealistic to launch a military operation to force open the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump challenged US allies to work towards reopening it.
"Some people defend the idea of freeing the Strait of Hormuz by force via a military operation, a position sometimes expressed by the United States, although it has varied," Macron told reporters during a trip to South Korea.
"This was never the option we have supported because it is unrealistic," he said. "It would take forever, and would expose all those who go through the Strait to risks from the guardians of the revolution but also ballistic missiles," he said.
(Reuters)
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday that Islamabad is ready to host talks between the United States and Iran to help end the regional conflict, though no dates have been finalised and the two sides will decide the timing.
At a news conference, ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said it is up to Washington and Tehran to determine when they are ready to come to the negotiating table.
On its part, he said, Pakistan remains optimistic about a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
“Both Iran and the US have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate these talks,” Andrabi said, adding that “we will be honoured to host and facilitate these talks between the two sides in the coming days for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict.”
(AP)
Indian shares recovered the day's losses on Thursday on a rupee surge after central bank action, but fading hopes of a swift end to the Iran war stretched the losing streak to a sixth week.
The Nifty 50 closed 0.15% higher at 22,713.1 and the Sensex rose 0.25% to 73,319.55, after falling more than 2% earlier in the session.
The rupee climbed 1.8% against the U.S. dollar after hitting a record low in the previous session.
The Nifty 50 and Sensex fell 0.5% and 0.4% for the holiday-shortened week as the Middle East war dragged on and Brent crude rose to $109 per barrel after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed more aggressive strikes on Iran.
(Reuters)
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin criticised Trump’s vow to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Age.” Martin said the rhetoric was unacceptable, and the Iranian people, who are playing no role in the war, are entitled to safety.
“Every person involved in war has to prioritise civilian protection and innocent civilians,” he told Newstalk radio. “We all know that the Iranian regime was a very oppressive one. But this war is creating death and destruction to people in Iran who had no act or part in the regime.”
(AP)
A man convicted of participating in an attack on a classified military facility during January's protests in Iran was executed on Thursday, the judiciary's news outlet Mizan said, after his appeal was rejected and the Supreme Court upheld his sentence.
The judiciary said Amirhossein Hatami was found guilty of entering a restricted military site in Tehran, damaging and setting fire to the facility, and attempting to seize weapons and ammunition, charges he admitted during interrogation, Mizan reported.
(AP)
Footage from Isfahan shows a massive explosion as US-Israeli air strikes reportedly hit an Iranian missile base in Baharestan on April 1.
(TRT World)
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsFootage from Isfahan shows a massive explosion as US-Israeli air strikes reportedly hit an Iranian missile base in Baharestan on April 1 pic.twitter.com/QSsMuXsAhO
— TRT World (@trtworld) April 2, 2026
The spokesperson for Iran’s highest operational command unit said the United States and the Israeli regime do not know anything about the Islamic Republic’s “vast and strategic” capabilities despite their claims.
“As we already said, we tell the American-Zionist enemies that your information about our military power and equipment is incomplete. You know nothing about our vast and strategic capabilities,” Lieutenant-Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said on Thursday.
(Press TV)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that there is "no dearth of fuel or gas in the country" and India was ready to deal with any energy crisis resulting out of the West Asia conflict.
Singh, speaking at a Sainik Samman Sammelan in poll-bound Kerala, said that Indian Navy ships were safely escorting the country's tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iraqi oil fields once alive with the buzz of workers are nearly deserted. Ports that pulsed with the churn of cargo have fallen still, the din of commerce replaced by the soft rhythm of waves.
A month after the war in Iran started, workers at ports and oil fields in the province of Basra, where almost all of Iraq's crude is produced and exported, have grown accustomed to rockets streaking across the sky, aimed at US air bases and other strategic facilities.
The war, which began with US-Israeli strikes, is dealing a heavy blow to Iraq's economy. Iraq relies on oil revenues for roughly 90% of its budget, and most of its oil is exported through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf where Iran has effectively stopped cargo traffic during the conflict.
The US embassy in Iraq has issued a statement saying that Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq “may intend to conduct attacks in central Baghdad in the next 24-48 hours.”
It lists potential targets as “US citizens, businesses, universities, diplomatic facilities, energy infrastructure, hotels, airports, and other locations perceived to be associated with the United States, as well as Iraqi institutions and civilian targets.”
The Channel 12 broadcaster says there’s been an attack in the northern town of Metula, with some of the rockets intercepted, while others fell in open areas.
The Channel 12 broadcaster says there’s been an attack in the northern town of Metula, with some of the rockets intercepted, while others fell in open areas.
The US defence secretary has shared a post on X that simply reads, “Back to the Stone Age”, after Trump used the same words to threaten Iran.
They said #iran needed to be “Great Again.”
— Consulate General of the I.R. Iran in Mumbai (@IRANinMumbai) April 2, 2026
Now suddenly the goalpost is… the Stone Age?
Funny thing... civilizations that go back to empires like the Achaemenids don’t really do “again.”
They just are. pic.twitter.com/WGhVayRYeJ
Donald Trump's assertion that he's destroyed Iran's missile capabilities is being met with skepticism as Iran launches missiles at Israel, triggering air raid sirens. Despite Trump's claims of "decimating" Iran's military, the country continues to retaliate, with reports of explosions and sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
#trump: "I have completely destroyed #iran’s missile capabilities."
— Consulate General of the I.R. Iran in Mumbai (@IRANinMumbai) April 2, 2026
Air raid sirens currently blaring across #israel: Must be a meteor shower from Mars!#marsmissiles#trumplogic pic.twitter.com/qj16GGDUyR
The Lebanese armed group says its fighters fired rockets at Israeli troops in the settlements of Al Malikiyah and Yeroun at 6:10am local time.
It also said its fighters targeted the settlement of Even Menachem at 6am with a swarm of attack drones.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has given his verdict on Donald Trump’s address, asking whether here has ever been a “more rambling, disjointed, and pathetic presidential war speech?”
Has there ever been a more rambling, disjointed, and pathetic presidential war speech?
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 2, 2026
Donald Trump’s actions in Iran will be considered one of the greatest policy blunders in the history of our country, failing to articulate objectives, alienating allies, and ignoring the… https://t.co/3An0nd3h1y
Brent crude, which had fallen back below $100 a barrel on Wednesday, has surged as much as 5 percent to hit $106.29, while West Texas Intermediate has jumped more than 4 percent to as high as $104.29.
Japan’s Nikkei share average has fallen, reversing earlier gains, after Trump failed to provide a clear sign for the end of the war on Iran.
The Nikkei was down 1.6 percent at 52,867 as of 02:16 GMT, after rising as much as 0.97 percent earlier in the session, according to the Reuters news agency.
The broader Topix also erased gains, falling 0.98 percent to 3,635.18.
The index had rallied this week on hopes for a de-escalation in the war, after logging its worst month since the 2008 global financial crisis in March.
US Objectives Nearing Completion: Trump's core strategic objectives in Iran are nearing completion, with the US having destroyed Iran's navy and air force, and crippled its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.
Criticism of Previous Administrations: Trump criticized previous US administrations for failing to tackle Iran's nuclear program, saying they "made mistakes and I am correcting them".
Iran's Nuclear Sites Under Surveillance: Iran's nuclear sites are under "intense satellite surveillance and control", and the US will take action if they make any move towards developing nuclear weapons.
No Concern Over Iran's HEU: Trump said he doesn't care about Iran's stock of highly enriched uranium (HEU) as it's deep underground and can be monitored by satellite.
Threat to Escalate: Trump warned that if Iran makes a move, the US will "hit them with missiles very hard again".
Strait of Hormuz: The US will consider a ceasefire only when Iran opens the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked since February 28.
NATO Withdrawal Considered: Trump is considering withdrawing the US from NATO due to lack of support from allies in the Iran war.
US President Donald Trump sought on Wednesday to explain his rationale for the war against Iran at a pivotal moment at home and abroad, but he offered few new details as he amasses extraordinary executive authority to prosecute the military operation.
The war is fast becoming a signature of his second-term agenda and the speech was a capstone to a remarkable day flexing presidential power.
Trump started the morning as the first sitting president to show up for a US Supreme Court hearing, a stunning reach of the executive into the affairs of the judicial branch. He ended with his first primetime address from the White House about a war he launched on his own, bulldozing past Congress.
On an early spring night when many Americans may have been looking upward as Artemis II astronauts lifted off for NASA's return to the moon, Trump gave a nod to the historic milestone. Then he quickly refocused attention back to him - and to the conflict with Iran that has killed more than a dozen US service members and appears to have no easy exit in sight.
"America, as it has been for five years under my presidency is winning - and now winning bigger than ever before," Trump said.
"We're going to finish the job and were going to finish it very fast," he added.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed doubts about the US's goals in Iran, saying the original objectives had been met and it's unclear what's next. "Now those objectives have been realised, it is not clear what more needs to be achieved or what the end point looks like," Albanese stated, highlighting concerns about the ongoing conflict.
Israel’s Channel 12 broadcaster says the missiles launched from Iran towards the northern areas of the country were intercepted and caused no casualties.
The Israeli Home Front has also lifted its directive to take shelter.
The Iranian semi-official Tasnim news agency, meanwhile, said the new wave of missile attacks began “after Trump announced that he had destroyed Iran’s missile capabilities”.
Gold prices reversed course to slip more than 1% on Thursday, snapping a four-day winning streak, after U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would continue the war in Iran over the coming weeks.
Spot gold fell 1.3% at $4,694.48 per ounce by 0202 GMT, while U.S. gold futures slid 1.9% to $4,723.70. Prices were up over 1% at their highest levels since March 19 before Trump's remarks. The United States would strike Iran "extremely hard" over the next two to three weeks and push it back into the "Stone Ages," Trump told the nation in a televised speech, adding that U.S. strategic objectives in the conflict were close to being fulfilled.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Trump’s “powerful speech” was “clear about our objectives in Iran”.
In a post on X, Rubio listed those objectives as:
“The President’s leadership sends a message to the world that the United States will defend its people and its interests, and uphold peace through strength,” Rubio added.
US lawmakers have also been reacting to the president's speech.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer lambasted the speech before adding "Donald Trump’s actions in Iran will be considered one of the greatest policy blunders in the history of our country".
Schumer, a Democrat from New York, says Trump is "failing to articulate objectives, alienating allies, and ignoring the kitchen table problems Americans are facing".
Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham gave a more positive reaction to the speech. He told Fox News.
The Ministry of Interior has told people to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place” as sirens blare warning of an incoming attack.
Separately, the ministry also said that traffic flows had resumed along the Khalifa Bin Salman Highway following an earlier incident involving falling debris.
US President Donald Trump told the nation in a televised speech on Wednesday night that the US military had nearly completed the goals it had set out to accomplish in its war with Iran and that the conflict would soon be ending. Trump, facing a war-wary American public and sliding approval ratings, said the U.S. had destroyed Iran's navy and air force, and crippled its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.
He added that the US would continue to hit targets in the Islamic Republic over the next two to three weeks.
Richard Schmierer, former US Ambassador to Oman, says that US Americans understand that while they may not get much oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz, energy costs have still gone “through the roof.”
“So even if President Trump wants to say that whether the Strait is open or closed is indifferent to us, the American people realise that’s not the case.”
Schmierer also said that if “some kind of a ceasefire” can be reached than “I do think we will get to the point where something can be arranged to allow shipping again through the Strait.”
But he added, “the wild card might be Israel, because Israel has indicated that it has other goals that it is still seeking… even if the US declares that its goals are met.”
Shortly after Trump concluded his remarks, in which he claimed that Iran’s military capabilities have been all-but crushed, the Israeli military said it detected Iranian missile launches.
“Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the Israeli military said.
Earlier on Wednesday the president said he did not care about Iran’s stock of highly enriched uranium (HEU), arguing it was deep underground and could be monitored by satellite.
Experts said that if the US-Israeli offensive against Iran concluded with the Tehran government still in control of its 440kg HEU stockpile, it would be significantly closer to the capability of making nuclear warheads than if the US had pursued a potential negotiated settlement that was on the table at the time the US and Israel launched the war on 28 February.
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Trump has said that America’s core strategic objectives are nearing completion and he is close to “finishing the job” in Iran. He has once again set out a timeline of “two to three weeks”.
He has followed this statement by once again criticising US allies for failing to take part in the operation against Iran – and told them that they must take responsibility for reopening the strait of Hormuz.
Everything that we heard from the US president was obviously very significant, but Trump reiterated what we’d already heard from him over the last few days – that this war was going to continue for at least another few weeks.
Trump said the US had had swift and overwhelming victories, that it’s getting very close to the final victory – and set a timescale of somewhere in the region of two to three weeks for that to be carried out.
Trump's speech hasn't calmed global oil markets, with Brent crude prices jumping 4% to $105.38 a barrel as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. The strait, handling 20% of global energy, has been effectively shut since February 28 due to Iran's retaliation against US and Israeli airstrikes.
“We will continue until our objectives are fully achieved. Thanks to the progress, we’ve made, I can say we are on track to complete all of America’s objectives shortly, very shortly,” the US president says.
We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We are going to take them back to the stone ages where they belong,” he says.
He adds that “regime change was never our goal” but that “regime change has occurred because of their original leader’s death”.
He’s also warns Iran of strikes on power plants if no deal is agreed.
Trump also spoke about US and Venezuela's oil production, saying that the US does not need oil from abroad.
He says that countries that need oil from the Middle East should now take the lead to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
Energy shipments from the Gulf have largely come to a standstill after Iran retaliated against the US-Israeli strikes by threatening to attack vessels that try to cross the Strait of Hormuz - a critical trade waterway.
Trump says: "To those countries that can’t get fuel, many of which refuse to get involved in the decapitation of Iran… build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait and just take it. Protect it."
Trump also calls for countries to buy US oil instead.
The US president has concluded his remarks by re-asserting that the war is already won and almost over.
“We are on the cusp of ending Iran sinister threat to America and the world,” Trump said.
The US president has portrayed the conflict as a push to secure a better and safer future for the US.
“This is a true investment in your children and your grandchildren’s future,” Trump said. “The whole world is watching, and they can’t leave the power, strength and brilliance. They just can’t believe what they’re seeing.”
He reiterated that the war is necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon although his own intelligence chief acknowledged last year that Tehran is not seeking one.
.@POTUS addresses the nation: "Tonight, Iran's navy is gone, their air force is in ruins, their leaders, most of them... are now dead. Their command and control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is being decimated as we speak, their ability to launch missiles and drones is… pic.twitter.com/3VOa2gM9ct
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 2, 2026
The US president argues that his confrontational approach to Iran, including nixing the 2015 multilateral nuclear deal during his first term, saved the region and Israel from destruction.
Trump said the accord, signed under former President Barack Obama, “would have led to a colossal arsenal of massive nuclear weapons for Iran”.
The agreement saw Iran drastically scale back its nuclear programme under strict international monitoring.
“They would have had them [nuclear weapons] years ago, and they would have used them,” Trump claimed.
“It would have been a different world. There would have been no Middle East and no Israel right now.”
Iran has always maintained that its nuclear activities are peaceful and that it has never sought to produce a nuclear weapon.
“We are gonna finish the job. We are getting very close,” the US president says.
“I want to thank our allies in the Middle East – Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain. They’ve been great and we will not let them fail in any way shape or form.”
Trump argues that his confrontational approach, including nixing the 2015 multilateral nuclear deal during his first term, to Iran saved the region and Israel from destruction.
Trump said the accord, signed under former President Barack Obama, “would have led to a colossal arsenal of massive nuclear weapons for Iran”.
The agreement saw Iran drastically scale back its nuclear programme under strict international monitoring.
US President Donald Trump is urging countries to buy oil from the US, stating "we have plenty" and suggesting they "build up some delayed courage" to access the Strait of Hormuz.
“Taken together, these actions will cripple Iran militarily. Crush their ability to support terrorist proxies and deny them the ability to build a nuclear bomb. Our armed forces have been extraordinary,” the US president says.
“Tonight, I am pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” he adds.
“Iran's navy is gone, their air force is in ruins, its leaders, most of them terrorists, are now dead.”
US President Donald Trump claimed Iran has killed around 45,000 protesters demonstrating against the Khamenei regime, but this figure is disputed. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged thousands of deaths, blaming Trump for "encouraging protesters".
Trump then marks one month since the star of Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
"Tonight Iran's navy is gone, their air force is in ruins, their leaders, most of them… are now dead," he says.
Trump adds that Iran's ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed.
The US president claims his country’s forces have delivered devastating blows to Iran.
“It’s been just one month since the United States military began Operation Epic Fury targeting the world’s number one state sponsor of terror, Iran,” Trump said.
“In these past four weeks, our armed forces have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield.”
The US president says in past four weeks, the country’s military has achieved “swift, decisive and overwhelming victories on the battlefield”.
He said Iran’s navy is gone, its airforces is in ruins, most of its leaders dead and its ability to launch missiles curtained. The US is “winning bigger than ever before,” he said.
Trump started his address by congratulating the team at Nasa for the successful launch of Artemis II - and praising the "brave" crew travelling to the moon.
US President Donald Trump is due to address the US public with "an important update on Iran" in about an hour. Ahead of his speech, let's look back at today's developments.
Here are the 5 key points:
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