Iran War Updates: Iran attacks Israel-linked vessel in Hormuz after Bushehr nuclear plant hit

Separately, US authorities have arrested the niece and grand niece of Qassem Soleimani after their lawful permanent resident status was revoked by Marco Rubio. According to the State Department, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Hezbollah has said it carried out a series of attacks targeting Israeli military positions and troop concentrations. The group reported launching rocket barrages at Israeli forces in the town square of Qantara in southern Lebanon, as well as at a gathering of soldiers and vehicles in the settlement of Kfar Yuval.

It also stated that it shelled Israeli troop positions in the town of Khiam using artillery. In separate statements, Hezbollah said it deployed drones against the Shragah base, which it described as the administrative headquarters of the Golani Brigade, located north of the city of Acre. Additional drone strikes were reported near the al Sammaqa military site in the occupied Kfarchouba hills.

Tehran said on Saturday that a "new" air defence system was used to down a US fighter jet a day earlier.

Iran’s Khatam al Anbiya Air Defense Base said it deployed the system on Friday to target the aircraft. A spokesperson for the joint command added that the country would “definitely achieve full control” over its airspace, according to Iranian state media.

Akasa Air said that following its ongoing safety assessment and a review of the prevailing situation in the Middle East, it continues to operate flights to and from Jeddah, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kochi and Kozhikode.

The airline added that it is progressively evaluating the resumption of flights to and from Abu Dhabi.

However, flights to and from Doha, Riyadh and Kuwait have been suspended until April 12, 2026.

Iran attacked ​an Israel-affiliated ‌vessel with a ​drone ​in the Strait ⁠of Hormuz, ​setting ​the ship on fire, Iran's ​state ​media said on ‌Saturday, ⁠citing the commander of ​the ​Revolutionary ⁠Guards navy, Reuters reported. There ​was ​no ⁠immediate comment from ⁠Israel.

The Israeli military said on Saturday that it carried out strikes a day earlier on command centres in Beirut linked to the Quds Force’s Lebanon corps, which it described as a key conduit between Iran and Hezbollah.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, the unit acts as a liaison between Hezbollah and Iran, supporting the group’s military build up and entrenchment.

The military also said it targeted two Palestinian Islamic Jihad headquarters used for coordination with Hezbollah, along with a Hezbollah observation post.

Iran’s foreign minister said on Saturday that the country has never declined an invitation to travel to Islamabad for mediation talks, signalling openness to diplomatic engagement.

However, he emphasised that Iran’s priority is to secure terms that ensure a conclusive and lasting end to what it described as an illegal war, stressing that any negotiations must result in a definitive resolution of the conflict.

Iran has approved the passage of ships carrying essential goods and humanitarian supplies through the Strait of Hormuz to Iranian ports or nearby waters, under specific protocols. Businesses are now allowed to resume sending these shipments

The IAEA has been informed by Iran that a projectile struck close to the premises of the Bushehr NPP this morning, the fourth such incident in recent weeks, the agency said in a post on X.

Iran also informed the IAEA that one of the site’s physical protection staff members was killed by a projectile fragment and that a building on site was affected by shockwaves and fragments. No increase in radiation levels was reported. 

Iran’s atomic agency said an airstrike struck near the Bushehr nuclear facility, killing a security guard and damaging a support building.

The incident marks the fourth time the site has been targeted during the ongoing war. The agency announced the attack on Saturday through a post on social media.

Pakistan has dismissed media reports suggesting that its efforts to mediate between the United States and Iran have faced setbacks. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi termed such claims “baseless” and said they were wrongly attributed to official sources. He clarified that recent briefings by the Foreign Ministry had been misinterpreted and stressed that no official statement indicated any failure in peace efforts. Andrabi urged media organisations to avoid speculation and rely only on verified information, especially given the sensitive situation in the region.

Iran’s Fars news agency has reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shot down an MQ-1 drone using advanced air defence systems over Isfahan province. The incident comes shortly after Iranian forces claimed they had brought down two US warplanes.

The Israeli military claimed its air force targeted multiple sites in Tehran on Friday, including IRGC air defense positions, ballistic missile storage, and weapons research facilities. It also said additional weapons production and R&D sites were hit. No further evidence or details were provided to support the claims.

An attack on the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) headquarters in al-Qaim has reportedly left one member dead and another wounded. The incident comes shortly after reports of an air raid on the PMF’s 34th Brigade headquarters in Mosul, highlighting a series of recent attacks targeting the group.

Multiple explosions have been reported in areas north of Tehran, the Iranian capital. Details about the cause or impact of the blasts are not yet available.

The Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah has announced it carried out a strike on the Israeli military’s Liman barracks, located north of Nahariya, using what it described as a “squadron of attack drones” at around 12:50 am local time. In its statement, the group said the drone attack was part of continued operations against Israeli military targets amid the wider regional conflict.

Iran has refused a proposal from the United States seeking a 48-hour ceasefire. The offer was reportedly sent through a third country acting as a mediator, though its identity has not been disclosed. The rejection indicates that diplomatic efforts to ease the situation are currently not gaining ground, with both sides appearing unwilling to step back. Read the full story here. 

Amid intensified war in West Asia, US President Donald Trump on Saturday asserted that the destruction of an American military aircraft will have no bearing on diplomatic discussions with Iran, according to a report by NBC News. Read full story here. 

Iraq has witnessed another airstrike targeting the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) amid ongoing regional tensions. Earlier reports confirmed an attack on the 34th Brigade headquarters in Mosul. According to an Iraqi police source, a second strike has now hit the PMF’s headquarters in the city of Al Qaim, located in western Iraq. Authorities are yet to release details on casualties or the extent of damage from this latest attack.