US-Israel War on Iran Day 27: Trump ramps up pressure on Iran with ‘no turning back’ warning

Pakistan mourns loss of national in Abu Dhabi incident

The Pakistan Embassy in the UAE expressed deep sorrow over the death of a Pakistani national in an incident involving falling debris on Sweihan Street, Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.

In a statement posted on X, the embassy said it stands with the bereaved family, offering heartfelt condolences and prayers. It added that officials are in close coordination with local authorities to provide all possible support and to ensure the earliest possible repatriation of the deceased.

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Egypt’s top diplomat is in Lebanon for talks

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty met Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Beirut on Thursday amid a swirl of diplomatic discussions about the Iran war.

Abdelatty said that, in shuttling messages between Iran and the United States, Egypt has noted a mutual “desire for calm, for the exploration of negotiations” on both sides. But he warned the talks have not yielded “specific conclusions.”

When asked about Egypt’s role in mediating between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, he told reporters that Egyptian diplomats were voicing to all parties their opposition to Israeli occupation and destruction of civilian infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

He said the goal was to prevent the region “from sinking into a state of chaos from which it cannot emerge.”

Iranian navy intelligence chief killed

The Israeli military says Behnam Rezaei was a “central knowledge authority in maritime intelligence.”

Earlier Thursday, Israel said it had killed the commander of Iran’s navy, Alireza Tangsiri, in an overnight airstrike in Bandar Abbas. Israel said Tangsiri had been responsible for bombing operations that blocked the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan actively pushing for US-Iran negotiations

But Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry did not confirm whether direct talks would take place in Islamabad later this week.

At a weekly news briefing, ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said details on the timing, venue and itinerary would be shared in due course. Asked whether Iranian or U.S. delegations were expected to hold talks in Islamabad later this week, he said, “We will let you know when these developments take place.”

He added that Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts are aimed at ending the conflict and emphasized that the initiative is not directed against any country.

Death toll in Iran reaches at least 1,937

An Iranian health official says the death toll from the war in Iran has reached at least 1,937 people.

Iran’s Deputy Health Minister Ali Jafarian gave the figure to the pan-Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera on Thursday. He said 240 of the dead were women and 212 were children.

More than 24,800 others have been wounded so far, he added.

Iran has not offered any official death toll figures in days.

UAE intercepts 15 ballistic missiles, 11 drones today

On March 26, 2026, UAE air defences intercepted 15 ballistic missiles and 11 drones launched from Iran.

Since the beginning of Iran's blatant aggression, UAE air defenses have intercepted 372 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,826 drones.

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Loud booms heard in Tel Aviv and other cities

The booms could be heard in Tel Aviv, the central Israel city of Modiin and Jerusalem after the Israeli military warned of another wave of incoming missiles from Iran.

The barrage is the eighth such wave launched at Israel on Thursday.

US-Iran indirect talks are taking place: Pakistani diplomat

Pakistan’s top diplomat says that indirect talks between the United States and Iran are still ongoing, even as Washington and Tehran offer opposing proposals.

The comment by Ishaq Dar mark the first time Islamabad has publicly acknowledged being the channel by which the two countries were negotiating.

“US-Iran indirect talks are taking place through messages being relayed by Pakistan,” Dar wrote on X.

He said Egypt and Turkey, as well as other countries, are working to back the talks.

Pakistani, Indian nationals die in Abu Dhabi incident

Abu Dhabi authorities have confirmed the deaths of two individuals—a Pakistani and an Indian national—after falling debris from a successfully intercepted ballistic missile on Sweihan Street caused casualties and property damage. Earlier in the morning, officials reported that three others were injured and several vehicles were damaged.

The latest Abu Dhabi incident raises the UAE’s total death toll from missile and UAV debris to 11, with today’s strike claiming two lives and injuring three others. Previous attacks have caused casualties among both military personnel and civilians, including three UAE armed forces members martyred in the line of duty and six foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Palestine killed in separate debris-related incidents. A total of 166 people have been injured across multiple incidents, with cases ranging from minor to severe.

Trump issues stark warning to Iran amid stalled talks

Without offering a specific threat, Trump said on Truth Social that Iranian leaders should engage “before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NOT TURNING BACK.”

The post comes a day after Trump insisted a deal is near. He said again Thursday that Iran is “‘begging’ us to make a deal” after the US pitched a 15-point ceasefire plan that Iran rejected.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s navy chief is killed

Israel said Thursday it killed Commodore Alireza Tangsiri, the head of Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s navy.

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tangsiri had been killed along with other senior naval commanders in a strike overnight.

Katz said Tangsiri was responsible for bombing operations that have blocked ships from crossing the Strait of Hormuz. He said the strike should serve as a “clear message” to top Iranian military officials that the Israeli military would hunt them down.

Iran did not immediately acknowledge Tangsiri’s killing.

Number wounded in Iraqi military clinic strike rises to 23

Iraqi officials had initially reported seven soldiers were killed and 13 wounded in Wednesday’s strike on a military clinic in western Iraq’s Anbar province.

Officials took journalists on a tour Thursday at the site of the destroyed clinic, where Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Tahsin al Khafaj said the number wounded had risen to 23.

The defense ministry has condemned the attack as a violation of international law and affirmed its right to respond. Iraq’s caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Iraq.

Explosions heard in western Iran

Witnesses say they heard constant explosions from airstrikes Thursday afternoon in the western Iranian city of Kermanshah.

Pakistan PM briefs Malaysian PM about efforts to bring US, Iran to talks

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has briefed his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim about his discussions with Gulf countries and Iran to bring Washington and Tehran to talks.

Sharif thanked Ibrahim for supporting Pakistan’s peace efforts. Ibrahim informed Sharif of his own conversations with world leaders and emphasized an urgent need to end the conflict, Sharif’s office says in a statement.

Kuwait defence minister inspects airport

Kuwait’s Minister of Defense Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al Salem Al Sabah inspected Kuwait International Airport following a drone attack that targeted aircraft refuelling tanks and caused a fire.

The Ministry of Defence said the damage was limited to material losses with no injuries reported, while firefighters, supported by the Kuwaiti Army, National Guard and Kuwait Oil Company, brought the fire under control.

South Korea to roll out $17 bn 'wartime' budget

South Korea will roll out a $17 billion "wartime" supplementary budget and expand fuel tax cuts as the war in Iran pushes up energy prices, the government said Thursday.

"The government will draw up a supplementary budget worth 25 trillion won next month - funded by excess tax revenue - in response to the prolonged Middle East conflict," the government said in a statement.

Iran drafting law to introduce tolls for Hormuz transit

The Iranian parliament is working on a draft bill that would impose a fee on vessels seeking safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

Fars, citing an unnamed lawmaker, said the plan would be finalised next week, and would legally recognise Iran’s oversight of Hormuz, a vital conduit which connects some of the world’s largest oil and gas producers in the Arabian Gulf with the wider world.

The narrow waterway has been all but closed since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began almost a month ago, and has become a focal point of the war. Only a trickle of ships have made their way through in the intervening weeks as Iran tightens control, most of them with Iranian or Chinese connections and a handful that have secured safe passage from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Dubai operating normally amid fake news

Dubai Media Office has urged residents and visitors to sidestep rumours and focus on verified information following a surge in false news circulating online.

In its latest advisory, the office confirmed that Dubai is operating as normal and warned the public not to be misled by fake news.

6 Arab nations issue joint condemnation of Iran attacks

The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan renew their condemnation in the strongest terms of the blatant Iranian attacks, which constitute a flagrant violation of their sovereignty, territorial integrity, international law, international humanitarian law, and the Charter of the United Nations, whether carried out directly or through their proxies and armed factions they support in the region.

We stress, in particular, the attacks carried out by armed factions loyal to Iran from the Republic of Iraq against a number of countries in the region, as well as their facilities and infrastructure. These acts are a breach of international laws and conventions and a blatant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 2817 (2026), which explicitly demands that Iran immediately and unconditionally cease any attacks or threats against neighboring states, including through the use of proxies.

Abu Dhabi: 2 dead, three injured after Iran missile interception

Authorities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi responded to an incident on Suyahan Street caused by falling shrapnel after the successful interception of a ballistic missile by air defenses.

The incident resulted in the death of two unidentified individuals and the injury of three others, along with damage to several vehicles. Authorities have confirmed that updates will be provided as they become available.

The public is urged to rely only on official sources for information and to avoid circulating rumours or unverified reports.

UAE responds to new missile and drone threats from Iran

UAE air defence systems were dealing with incoming missile and drone threats, with authorities urging residents to remain in safe places and follow official warnings and updates through government channels.

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Israel says air defences responding to Iranian missiles

The Israeli military said air defences were responding to missile attacks from Iran on Thursday, with sirens activated across central Israel, parts of Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

In two separate statements about 20 minutes apart, the military said it had "identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel".

"Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the statements said.

After the first attack, the military said people were "now permitted to leave protected spaces in all areas of the country".

Israel's Magen David Adom emergency medical service said there were no reports of casualties.

Russian oil arrives as Philippines battles 'energy emergency'

A ship carrying more than 700,000 barrels of Russian crude oil has arrived in the Philippines, a source with knowledge of the matter told AFP Thursday, days after the country declared a national energy emergency over the Middle East war.

The Sierra Leone-flagged Sara Sky, bearing high-quality crude from Russia's ESPO pipeline arrived on Monday, with documents showing the consignee as Petron Corp, operator of the Philippines' sole oil refinery, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous as they were not authorised to speak to press.

President Ferdinand Marcos said Wednesday that the Philippines was casting a wide net in its search for fuel, with the country's dwindling stocks expected to last only another 45 days.

"We have not only gone to our...traditional oil suppliers, we have tried to explore other sources that are not affected by the war that is ongoing in the Middle East," he said in a press briefing addressing the state of emergency.

How UAE residents are shopping amid uncertainty

A month into the war, there has been a shift in the priorities and the psychology of consumption is becoming more revealing than ever. It’s not the urgency of crisis buying, But as UAE retailers explain, there’s also a new composure where people think a few steps ahead. And what they’re ordering offers a glimpse into what they’re really feeling beneath the surface.

People are thinking a few steps ahead, as retailers explain.

UAE residents told situation safe after emergency alert

The UAE Ministry of Defence has given the all-clear to residents across the country, declaring the security situation stable following an alert earlier.

A mobile notification was pushed to phones nationwide, thanking the public for their cooperation and confirming that daily life could resume as normal.

Residents were nonetheless encouraged to stay alert, exercise caution, and continue monitoring official government channels for any further developments.

UAE keeps food supply steady

The UAE’s food supply system continues to hold firm despite regional tensions, supported by diversified sourcing, strong logistics and close coordination between authorities and retailers. Supply routes are being adjusted in real time, ensuring shelves remain stocked across the country, while costs are being managed to limit immediate impact on consumers. Experts say the system is designed to adapt quickly to disruption, keeping goods moving even when routes shift, though prolonged pressure may gradually push up prices in select categories.

Japan says beginning release of state oil reserves

Japan said it had started to release another part of its strategic oil reserves Thursday as it looks to temper the impact on the resource-poor nation from the surge in prices caused by the Middle East war.

Iran has virtually closed the vital Strait of Hormuz - through which a fifth of global crude and gas flows - since the United States and Israel began striking the country on February 28.

Japan is the fifth-biggest importer of oil, with more than 90 percent of it from the Middle East.

"The release (of national stockpile) started at 10:59 am (0159 GMT) to oil refiners," Kaname Morimoto, an official of the ministry of economy, trade and industry, told AFP.

China says 'glimmer of hope' on Iran war talks

China's top diplomat has said that a "glimmer of hope" for peace has emerged due to moves to stop the war in the Middle East, despite Tehran vowing to keep fighting.

China's foreign minister Wang Yi urged dialogue in separate calls with his Turkish and Egyptian counterparts, suggesting that both Tehran and Washington had shown signals they were willing to return to the negotiating table.

"With both the United States and Iran signalling a willingness to negotiate, a glimmer of hope for peace has emerged," Wang told Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, according to a Beijing readout published late Wednesday.

The statement came hours before Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that "so far, no negotiations have taken place, and I believe our position is completely principled".

"Speaking of negotiations now is an admission of defeat," he added.

Israel military says carried out 'wide-scale' strikes in Iran

Israel's military said Thursday its forces had carried out a wave of strikes across Iran, including in the central city of Isfahan.

A brief military statement said Israeli forces "completed a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in several areas across Iran".

Kuwait air defences shoot down 2 drones

Kuwait National Guard (KNG) Duty Force intercepted and destroyed two hostile drones in the areas under their jurisdiction on Thursday early morning.

The measure falls in the framework of constant efforts to protect the national security and safeguard the vital sites against any potential threats, KNG Spokesman Brig. Jadaan Fadhel said in a press release.

The KNG, in collaboration with the Army, the police forces and Kuwait Fire Force, maintain the highest levels of preparedness in defence of the national security and stability against any potential threats, Brig. Al-Jadaan added.

UAE schools reveal safety plans for proposed reopening

As some of the UAE's largest private school groups seek regulatory approval to reopen campuses ahead of the April 3 distance learning deadline, they are laying out in detail what they have done to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students and staff amid the ongoing Iranian aggression on the country.

From emergency lockdown frameworks to transport contingencies, the measures being put in place paint a picture of schools preparing for a range of scenarios even as all of them confirmed that they will provide hybrid learning to support those who wish to continue online classes.

Dubai's education regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), has confirmed that any institution seeking to return to in-person learning must submit a formal request with clear justification. Each application will be reviewed by the Ministry of Education on a case-by-case basis, with student safety the overriding criterion.

Saudi Arabia intercept, destroy 18 drones

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense announced Thursday the interception and destruction of 18 drones over the Eastern Province, with the military issuing four separate statements as successive waves were shot down.

Spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al Maliki confirmed the takedowns in successive briefings — five drones in the first statement, eight in the second, two in the third, and three in the fourth, all targeting the Eastern Province.

The latest attacks bring the total number of Iranian projectiles to have struck or targeted the Kingdom to 824 since the conflict began — comprising 58 missiles (51 ballistic, seven cruise) and 766 drones.

Trump says Iran 'afraid' to admit it wants a deal

US President Donald Trump insisted that Iran was taking part in peace talks, suggesting Tehran's denials were because Iranian negotiators fear being killed by their own side. "They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly. But they're afraid to say it, because they figure they'll be killed by their own people," Trump told a dinner for Republican members of Congress.

White House claims 'breakthrough' as Iran flatly denies negotiations

A widening credibility gap is emerging at the heart of the 2026 Iran war: as Washington and Tehran issue starkly contradictory narratives — raising fears that diplomacy is collapsing even as both sides publicly claim otherwise.

The White House insists that negotiations with Iran remain “productive,” downplaying reports that Iran regime authorties have rejected a sweeping US peace proposal aimed at ending the war. Officials say backchannel discussions — possibly via intermediaries such as Pakistan and Turkey — are still alive and could soon evolve into formal talks.

Iran's Abbas Araghchi has bluntly denied that any negotiations are taking place, stressing that reviewing proposals through mediators “does not mean talks.” An Iranian military spokesperson reportedly accused the US of “negotiating with itself,” while senior figures warn that past "betrayals" have destroyed any remaining trust.

UAE air defences respond to Iran missile, drone threats

UAE air defences are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran. The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that the sounds heard are the result of the Air Defence Systems intercepting missiles and drones. ‏

Warthogs, Apaches unleashed vs IRGC fast-attack boats, war enters 'new phase' in Hormuz

The US military has reportedly escalated operations in the Strait of Hormuz. According to General Dan “Razin” Caine, A-10 "Warthogs" are now actively targeting Iranian fast-attack boats, including remote-controlled vessels laden with bombs that threaten oil tankers. AH-64 Apache gunships are also engaging drones and Iranian militia-linked threats. This marks a significant shift in Pentagon's strategy involving the use of military hardware for close-range battlefield control see combat action.

'A ceasefire is not enough'

"A ceasefire is not enough. We need a decisive outcome that fully addresses the entire range of Iran’s threats: its nuclear capabilities, missiles, drones, terrorist proxies, and its siege on international maritime routes. The UAE stands strong and clear in the face of the Iranian threat," stated Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to Washington, in an article (The UAE stands up to Iran) he wrote for The Wall Street Journal.

Malaysia supports Pakistan's offer to host Iran-US dialogue

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated he welcomes Pakistan’s timely and constructive offer to host dialogue between the US and Iran. "I commend Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the leaders of other friendly nations for stepping forward at a moment of acute regional danger, following the earlier commendable efforts of the leadership of Oman and other friendly countries. Pakistan’s relationships with the relevant parties, and its standing as a credible voice in the Muslim world, place it in a strong position to help create the conditions for meaningful negotiations. Malaysia supports this initiative and encourages in particular the United States and Iran to respond in the spirit in which it was offered. I note with cautious hope the signals, however incomplete, that suggest some space for diplomacy may still exist."

US strikes on Iran military infrastructure, capabilities continue

US forces continue striking targets to degrade the Iranian regime's military infrastructure and capabilities that have threatened American troops and regional partners for decades, as per the US Central Command.

Kuwait dismantles terror cell seeking to assassinate State leaders

The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior announced late on Wednesday that the Kuwait State Security Service has successfully thwarted a terrorist plot and dismantled a network that planned to carry out assassinations of State symbols and leaders and undermine the country's supreme interests.

The Ministry’s Spokesperson, Brigadier Nasser Abusulaib, said in a televised statement that following intensive surveillance and security investigations, the authorities dismantled a network consisting of five citizens and one non-Kuwaiti individual whose citizenship had been revoked.

GCC Secretary-General welcomes UN resolution condemning Iranian aggression

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), welcomed the unanimous adoption by the Human Rights Council (UNHRC) of the resolution titled "Effects of the Recent Military Aggression Launched by Iran."

The resolution was submitted by the Kingdom of Bahrain on behalf of the GCC states and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, receiving exceptional and broad support from more than 100 countries across various regional groups.

6 Arab states renew condemnation of direct, proxy Iranian attacks

The State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Jordan renewed their condemnation in the strongest terms of the blatant Iranian attacks, "which constitute a flagrant violation of their sovereignty, territorial integrity, international law, international humanitarian law, and the Charter of the United Nations, whether carried out directly or through their proxies and armed factions they support in the region."

The group stated: "We stress, in particular, the attacks carried out by armed factions loyal to Iran from the Republic of Iraq against a number of countries in the region, as well as their facilities and infrastructure. These acts are a breach of international laws and conventions and a blatant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 2817 (2026), which explicitly demands that Iran immediately and unconditionally cease any attacks or threats against neighboring states, including through the use of proxies."

Asia, Australia, Africa, S. America reel from fuel crisis

Asian countries are feeling the growing impact of the Middle East war thousands of miles away. South Korea has been grappling with fuel supplies, implementing a nationwide energy saving campaign while Thailand has also asked employees to ditch suits in offices and lower air conditioning.

As the knock-on effects of the fuel crunch unravels, dozens of petrol stations in Australia had reportedly ran out of supplies. The Philippines has become the first country to declare national emergency over Middle East war. Amid the tanker squeeze in the Hormuz Strait, certain fuel retailers in markets ranging from South Africa to Chile are already rationing fuel or running dry, Reuters reported.

In India, meanwhile, serpentine queues had been seen at fuel pumps, with police reportedly being deployed at Gujarat petrol stations amid panic over potential fuel shortages, as Iran’s blockade of Hormuz disrupts a route that carries over 40% of India’s crude imports.

US‑Israel war on Iran as it happened: What we know so far

Day 26: US preparing to deploy 1,000 troops to Middle East

Day 25: UAE intercepts threats from Iran ; 1dead, 5 hurt in Bahrain

Day 24: Netanyahu speaks with Trump, vows to protect Israel's interests

Day 23: Trump gives Iran 48 hours to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Day 22: Trump says US considering ‘winding down’ war

Day 21: UK to let US use bases for strikes on Iran threats

Day 20: Trump vows to destroy Iran gas field; UAE intercepts threats

Day 19: Iran warns of 'consequences' after gas field hit

Day 18: Iran confirms security chief Ali Larijani killed

Day 17:  Trump urges allies to secure Strait of Hormuz,

Day 16: Trump calls for allies on Strait of Hormuz security

Day 15: Trump threatens Iran’s oil infrastructure after US bombs Kharg