THE WARTIME REPORT

Open source · Unbiased · Independent — Daily briefings on the 2026 Iran War

DAY 35 — COMPLETED

World Bypasses Washington as Coalition Forms to Reopen Hormuz

19 min read · By agrimshar · The Wartime Report · Published · Last updated: April 4, 2026 at 03:05 UTC

Summary

The post-American order took another step forward. The UN Security Council will vote Saturday on a Bahraini resolution authorizing "all defensive means necessary" to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — but China has already signaled opposition. Iran claims to have shot down a second US F-35 over central Iran (unverified). In retaliation for the US destroying Iran's tallest bridge, the IRGC put bridges across American-allied Gulf states on its "hit list." Overnight strikes damaged Iran University of Science and Technology in Tehran. US intelligence privately warns Iran can still "wreak absolute havoc" despite 35 days of bombardment — directly contradicting Trump's public narrative of imminent victory. Pakistan's LNG surplus has flipped to a looming shortage. Trump's April 6 Hormuz deadline is now three days away.

The United Nations General Assembly hall
The world is assembling a coalition to reopen Hormuz — without the United States

UN Security Council & Diplomacy

  • 🚨 UNSC Hormuz vote postponed — resolution watered down: The UN Security Council has postponed its scheduled Friday vote on the Bahraini resolution to protect Hormuz shipping, pushing it to Saturday. The resolution has been significantly watered down after China and Russia opposed authorizing force — it now allows only "defensive means" rather than the original "all necessary measures." China called the original draft "legitimizing the unlawful and indiscriminate use of force." Iran warned the UNSC against any "provocative action" ahead of the vote. Even the watered-down version faces an uncertain path — a resolution requires 9 votes and no vetoes from the 5 permanent members. (RFI/AFP, Reuters, DW)
  • UK PM Starmer: Iran war outcome will "define us for a generation": British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pushed back against Trump's NATO exit threat, saying how Britain and the world emerge from this crisis "will define us for a generation." (Independent)

Military Developments

  • 🚨 Iran claims second US F-35 shot down over central Iran: Iran's Mehr News Agency reported the IRGC claims to have shot down a second US F-35 fighter jet over central Iran. The IRGC said its Raad air defense system "seriously damaged" the aircraft. Iran's Tasnim News Agency released video purporting to show the interception. No US confirmation. The claim follows yesterday's IRGC announcement of downing an advanced fighter in the Gulf. If verified, this would represent a significant escalation in Iran's air defense capabilities. (MarketScreener)
  • Iran puts Gulf bridges on its "hit list" in retaliation: After the US destroyed Iran's B1 bridge, Iran's IRGC has identified multiple bridges in American-allied nations as potential retaliatory targets — including infrastructure in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, and the Jordan-West Bank region. Iranian state TV broadcast the threat explicitly. (Fox News)
  • Overnight strikes damage Iran University of Science and Technology in Tehran: An overnight strike in Tehran damaged buildings belonging to Iran University of Science and Technology — another civilian educational institution targeted as the infrastructure campaign intensifies. (Multiple sources)
  • 🚨 CNN EXCLUSIVE: Half of Iran's missile launchers still intact: A CNN exclusive reveals approximately half of Iran's missile launchers remain intact and thousands of one-way attack drones remain in its arsenal — despite five weeks of daily US-Israeli strikes. Iran's tunnel network has significantly blunted the effectiveness of the air campaign. This directly contradicts Trump's claims that Iran's military is nearly eliminated. (CNN, Haaretz)
  • Trump "humiliated" by own intel experts' verdict on war: The Daily Beast reports Trump's own intelligence community has assessed the war has not been as successful as his public remarks suggest — a rare public divergence between the president and his national security apparatus. (Daily Beast)
  • Orthodox church in Tehran damaged by strikes: The St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox cathedral in Tehran sustained damage from two missile strikes — adding a religious and diplomatic dimension as Russia has been positioning itself as a mediator. (Multiple sources)

Economic Impact

  • Pakistan's LNG surplus becomes looming shortage: Al Jazeera reports the war has transformed Pakistan's LNG surplus into a looming shortage, as global LNG supplies collapse amid the regional conflict. Pakistan — an early beneficiary of Iran's selective Hormuz passage — now faces its own energy crunch. (Al Jazeera)
  • Asia's fuel crisis in human terms: The Guardian documents the daily reality of Asia's fuel crisis — from farms in New Zealand to factories in Delhi — showing how the oil crisis triggered by the Iran war is rippling across the continent. (Guardian)
  • Israel's Lebanon offensive dividing communities: Bloomberg reports Israel's war against Hezbollah and invasion of Lebanon is dividing communities that have spent decades since the country's civil war seeking ways to live together. (Bloomberg)

Developing — April 3

  • 🚨 IRGC claims strike on Oracle data centre in Dubai — UAE denies: Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it struck Oracle's data centre and information infrastructure in Dubai — the second US tech facility targeted after the Amazon cloud centre in Bahrain. Dubai authorities denied the claim. This follows yesterday's confirmed Amazon facility damage. (Anadolu Agency, Times of India)
  • Iran announces wave of retaliatory strikes across region: The IRGC announced coordinated attacks on "US-linked steel facilities in Abu Dhabi, aluminium industries in Bahrain, and Rafael arms factories in Israel" — expanding its targeting from purely military sites to industrial and economic infrastructure belonging to US allies. (Al Jazeera)
  • 8 killed celebrating Nature Day near bridge strike: AP reports the B1 bridge strike killed 8 Iranians and wounded 95 who were celebrating Nature Day (Sizdah Bedar) — the last day of Nowruz, when Iranians traditionally gather outdoors for picnics. The victims were civilians marking a national holiday. Iran called the strike evidence of "the defeat and moral collapse of an enemy in disarray." (AP)
  • No sign of war winding down as Friday dawns: AP: "There was little sign Friday of the war winding down as Israel said it faced incoming fire from Iran, Kuwait and Bahrain reported being under attack." Tehran continues to demonstrate strike capability despite Trump's claims of imminent victory. (AP)
  • Trump doubles down on infrastructure targeting: Late Thursday night, Trump posted: "The US military hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants." The threat directly contradicts Geneva Convention protections for civilian infrastructure and drew fresh war crimes warnings. (Reuters)
  • 100+ international law experts: US strikes "may be war crimes": Over 100 international law professors signed an open letter via Just Security warning US strikes on civilian infrastructure violate the UN Charter and may constitute war crimes under the Geneva Conventions. The letter specifically cited bridge and power plant targeting. (Just Security, Reuters)
  • "Disturbing trend" of strikes on non-military targets: France24 reports a pattern of US-Israeli strikes hitting universities, airports, and other non-military targets in Iran — a systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure that has drawn increasing condemnation. (France24)
  • Iran fires missiles at Tel Aviv overnight — 4 wounded: Iran fired missiles at Tel Aviv triggering Israeli air defences, with four people lightly wounded. Fresh blasts were also heard in Jerusalem after the military warned of incoming fire. (Manila Times/AFP)
  • F-35 shootdown claims escalate — Lakenheath squadron named: The IRGC's latest F-35 claim specifically identified the downed aircraft as belonging to the "Lakenheath Squadron" — the 48th Fighter Wing, USAF's primary F-35 unit in Europe. The IRGC said its "advanced new air defense system" destroyed the jet and the pilot's survival was "unlikely." No US confirmation. (Times Now)
  • Energy markets "tuning Trump out": Yahoo Finance reports energy markets are beginning to discount Trump's statements after repeated whiplash — suggesting traders no longer treat his pronouncements as actionable intelligence. (Yahoo Finance)
  • India exploring oil-for-rice barter with Iran: Punjab rice exporters are calling for a barter deal with Iran — oil for rice — as trade disruptions from the war reshape Asian commerce. (Indian Express)
  • 🚨 Drone strike sets Kuwait's Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery ablaze: Iranian drones struck Kuwait's Mina al-Ahmadi refinery early Friday, setting several operating units on fire. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation confirmed the strike via state news agency. No injuries or environmental impact reported. The refinery is one of Kuwait's largest — the strike represents a significant escalation against Gulf oil infrastructure. (Reuters)
  • Iran warns UNSC against "provocative action" on Hormuz vote: Iran warned the UN Security Council against any "provocative action" ahead of Saturday's vote on the Bahraini resolution mandating a force to protect Hormuz shipping. The warning raises the stakes for the vote and signals Tehran will view any authorized military deployment as an act of aggression. (Economic Times)
  • Westpac CEO warns Iran war may spark Australian recession: Westpac's CEO Anthony Miller warned Australians of "a growing risk the country could slip into recession" as the war drives fuel prices higher and forces interest rate rises — the first major Australian bank to issue a recession warning linked to the conflict. (ABC Australia, Bloomberg)
  • 🚨🚨 CONFIRMED: US fighter jet shot down over Iran — pilot ejected, rescue race underway: Reuters and the NYT confirm a US fighter jet was shot down over Iran. US Central Command has launched a search and rescue operation using Black Hawk helicopters and C-130 Hercules aircraft. Iran's Tasnim reports the pilot ejected safely and landed on Iranian territory — creating a race between US rescue teams and Iranian forces to reach the crew first. Iran's judiciary-affiliated Mizan outlet published photos of American rescue aircraft in Iranian skies. CENTCOM keeps multiple search-and-rescue task forces positioned near Iran in Iraq and Syria for exactly this scenario. Wreckage photos show an F-15E Strike Eagle from the 494th Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath (distinctive red tail band, per The War Zone). Iran initially claimed it was an F-35. Iranian state TV is offering a reward for live capture, and armed tribesmen in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province have joined the hunt in the southwestern mountains. Local merchants and guilds offered an IRR 100 billion bounty. Iran's Mizan outlet initially claimed the US rescue attempt "has failed." However, Israeli Channel 12, citing a Western source, now reports one of the two crew members has been successfully rescued and evacuated from southern Iran. Axios reports the second crew member (weapons-systems officer) is believed alive in Iran — US forces are mounting a massive CSAR operation in hostile territory to reach them. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed "the President has been briefed." UPDATE 21:12 UTC: One crew member has been rescued. Search continues for the second — IRGC has cordoned off the crash area in Kohgiluyeh province. The Washington Post reports TWO search-and-rescue helicopters were hit during the operation, injuring crew members on both, before safely returning to base. Iran also claims its air defenses hit the A-10 Warthog (see below). This is the first confirmed US manned aircraft loss of the war. (Reuters, NYT, The War Zone, Stars & Stripes)
  • 🚨 SECOND US aircraft lost — A-10 Warthog shot down during rescue mission: CBS reports the A-10 Warthog was part of the search and rescue operation for the downed F-15E crew when it took fire and was damaged. The pilot ejected over the Persian Gulf and was successfully recovered. The Washington Post confirms both aircraft were "lost to hostile fire" — the A-10 was shot down, not a mechanical failure. 2 of 3 total airmen have been rescued; search continues for the F-15E weapons-systems officer. Two US combat aircraft plus two helicopters hit in a single day — the worst US aviation losses since the early days of the Iraq War. Hegseth had claimed days ago that Iran's air defenses were "so degraded" the US was flying B-52s over the country. (NYT, Guardian)
  • 🚨 SECOND US combat aircraft crashes in Persian Gulf region — pilot rescued: A second US Air Force combat plane crashed in the Persian Gulf region on Friday — separate from the F-15E shot down over Iran. The lone pilot was safely rescued. Two US officials confirmed the incident to the NYT. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. Two American aircraft lost in a single day marks an unprecedented escalation in losses. (Reuters, NYT)
  • Last pre-war oil shipments arriving in Asia this week: The NYT reports the final oil and LNG deliveries that passed through Hormuz before it was closed are expected to arrive in Asia this week — meaning the full impact of the blockade hits next week. The last tanker shipments to Europe should have already arrived. (NYT)
  • 🚨 "Food security timebomb" — Gulf fertiliser blockade: The Guardian reports a third of global fertiliser raw materials pass through the Strait of Hormuz, alongside 20% of natural gas needed to produce it. The International Rescue Committee's David Miliband warns the window to avert a "massive global hunger crisis" is "rapidly closing." The WTO says fertilisers are the "No.1 issue of concern today." Iran is the world's fourth-largest exporter of urea, and the Middle East supplies 45% of global sulphur trade. (Guardian)
  • Strikes hit helicopter factory, missile base near Isfahan, border towns: Overnight and early Friday strikes hit a helicopter manufacturing facility in Fardis (west of Tehran), a missile base near Isfahan producing major explosions, and targets in Songhor (near Iraqi border) and Kazerun (southern Iran). The broadening strike campaign now covers industrial, military, and border-area targets. (Multiple sources, BBC)
  • 🚨 UN representative resigns, claims UN preparing for nuclear strike on Iran: Mohamad Safa, a UN representative for the Patriotic Vision Association NGO, resigned his post and accused the UN of "preparing for possible nuclear weapon use in Iran." He said he "gave up my diplomatic career to leak this information" and accused senior UN figures of "serving a powerful lobby." His claims came days after the WHO's regional director said they were preparing for a "worst-case scenario" of nuclear catastrophe. (Middle East Eye)
  • 🕊️ Zarif publishes peace blueprint in Foreign Affairs: Former Iranian FM Javad Zarif — who led Iran's nuclear negotiations — published a roadmap in Foreign Affairs calling on Tehran to "declare victory and make a deal." His proposal: Iran limits its nuclear programme and reopens Hormuz in exchange for full sanctions relief, a mutual non-aggression pact with the US, and expanded economic ties. The most concrete peace proposal from the Iranian side yet. (Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera)
  • IRGC claims strikes on Mossad HQ in Tel Aviv and military positions in Eilat: The IRGC claimed it struck and "destroyed" Israeli intelligence headquarters in Tel Aviv and military-industrial facilities in Eilat — its most audacious claims to date. No Israeli confirmation. (Moneycontrol)
  • Kuwait's Mina al-Ahmadi refinery struck for THIRD TIME since war began: The Independent reports Friday's drone strike on Kuwait's refinery was the third attack on the facility since the war began — confirming a sustained Iranian campaign against Kuwaiti energy infrastructure. Multiple fires erupted across operating units. (Independent, Reuters)
  • France prepares targeted fuel aid as pump costs surge: French PM Sébastien Lecornu asked ministers to prepare measures to help individuals who depend on cars as the Iran war pushes fuel prices higher — joining the UK in direct household-level economic intervention. (Bloomberg)
  • 🚨 UN humanitarian chief accuses Trump of war crimes: "War is not a game show": Tom Fletcher, the UN's Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, told the BBC that bombing bridges and civilian infrastructure "is a war crime — absolutely clear in international law." He added: "War is not a game show; peace making is not a real estate deal; the world is not a casino." Fletcher, who served three former British PMs, said there has been a "gradual and then sudden deterioration in the protection of civilians." (Independent)
  • Iranian cluster bombs hit Haifa and Kiryat Ata: Iran fired missiles at northern Israel with at least six impact sites in Haifa and Kiryat Ata, including cluster munitions causing heavy damage to vehicles and buildings. One person lightly injured. The targeting of northern Israel with cluster weapons marks an expansion from the recent focus on central Israel. (Times of Israel, Haaretz)
  • Europe "gearing up for energy crisis" as war rages: DW examines Europe's limited policy options as the Hormuz toll booth and damaged infrastructure create an energy emergency — the continent's worst energy crunch since Russia cut gas in 2022. (DW)
  • Pope Leo emerges as vocal Trump war critic: Pope Leo XIV — the first American pope — has become one of the most outspoken global critics of the Iran war, declaring that God rejects the prayers of leaders "whose hands are full of blood." The remark was widely interpreted as aimed at Defense Secretary Hegseth, who has invoked Christian rhetoric to justify strikes. Reuters reports the Pope has been "ramping up criticism for weeks." (Reuters)
  • Strikes destroy 11 residential buildings in Tehran: Overnight strikes destroyed an electricity department building and 11 residential buildings in Tehran, including an eight-story building on Zarafshan Street. A desalination plant in Nikshahr and a school in Khomein were also struck alongside military targets in Chabahar and Shiraz — the broadest single night of civilian infrastructure hits. (Multiple sources)
  • 🚨 US adds 178,000 jobs in March — nearly 3x expectations: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 178,000 nonfarm payrolls added in March, crushing the 60,000 consensus forecast. Unemployment held at 4.3%. Gains came in healthcare, construction, and transportation/warehousing. February was revised down further to -133,000. However, economists warn this is "the last clean snapshot" — the March survey was largely collected before the worst of the war's economic impact (rising fuel costs, supply chain disruption) hit the labor market. The real war-economy numbers arrive in April. (CNBC, BLS)
  • Brookings: Iran war energy shock "not yet fully realized": Brookings warns that the global oil supply shortfall from the Iran war is already larger than the 1973 and 1979 oil crises combined — and the worst hasn't hit yet. With the last pre-war Hormuz tanker cargoes arriving in Asia this week, the full force of the blockade is about to be felt. (Brookings)
  • Brent crude at $109/barrel: Oil futures hovering near $109 — down from Thursday's spike above $111 but still at war-elevated levels. Markets closed for Good Friday in most countries. (Investing.com)
  • 🚨 Iran strikes Kuwait water desalination plant — drinking water at risk: Beyond the refinery, Iran's attack also caused "material damage" to a Kuwaiti power and water desalination plant. Gulf states rely on desalination for most of their drinking water — this represents a strike on civilian survival infrastructure. (Guardian)
  • Bahrain sirens sound three times overnight: Bahrain's interior ministry reported sirens activating three times overnight as Iranian attacks continued, urging citizens to seek shelter. (Guardian)
  • French-owned CMA CGM ship transits Hormuz — first Western European vessel since March 1: The Maltese-flagged Kribi belonging to French shipping giant CMA CGM exited the Strait of Hormuz — the first known transit by a major European shipping group since the war began. The crossing signals a possible testing of Iran's blockade enforcement. (Bloomberg, Al Arabiya)
  • BBC Verify: Hormuz traffic down 95% — only ~100 ships since March: BBC Verify analysis shows just 99 vessels transited the strait in over a month (vs. 138/day pre-war) — averaging 5-6 per day. A third were Iran-linked vessels. Ships are being forced to hug the Iranian coast, suggesting mines or controlled lanes. (BBC)
  • UK to deploy Rapid Sentry air defence to Kuwait: Britain will send its Rapid Sentry air defence system to Kuwait in response to escalating Iranian strikes on the country's critical infrastructure — the first UK military asset deployed to protect a Gulf state during the conflict. (Moneycontrol)
  • 🔴 Updated death tolls (as of Day 35): At least 1,606 civilians killed in Iran including 244 children (HRANA). At least 1,345 Lebanese killed since Israel-Hezbollah fighting resumed. At least 50 killed in Gulf nations from Iranian attacks. 17 killed in Israel. 13 US service members killed, hundreds wounded. (NYT, HRANA)
  • War costs US ~$1 billion per day: The NYT reports some estimates suggest the war could cost the United States as much as $1 billion a day — a staggering total that underscores the gap between Trump's promise to cut domestic spending and the reality of an open-ended Middle Eastern war. (NYT)
  • Abu Dhabi gas field halted after interception debris starts fire: Falling debris from an air defense interception started a fire at a major gas field in Abu Dhabi, halting operations — even successful defense is causing economic damage. (NYT)
  • Iran: negotiations with US "impossible under current conditions": Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said negotiations with Washington are impossible while strikes continue — effectively ruling out diplomacy while bombs are falling. (NYT)
  • 🚨 Trump requests $1.5 TRILLION defense budget — slashes domestic programs: The White House released its FY2027 budget request: ~$1.5 trillion for defense, including $66 billion for Navy shipbuilding (34 warships). Politico reports the budget "recognizes the current global threat environment." Fortune warns it would add nearly $7 trillion to the $39 trillion national debt. The request comes as the war costs ~$1B/day and Trump promised domestic spending cuts. (NYT, Politico, Fortune)
  • Netanyahu: Israeli strikes destroyed 70% of Iran's steel production: PM Netanyahu claimed in a video statement that the IAF has destroyed 70% of Iran's steel production capacity, "significantly hindering its ability to manufacture weapons." He said: "We are eliminating commanders, bombing bridges, bombing infrastructures." The claim builds on DW's earlier report of "irreversible" damage to Iran's two largest steel mills in Isfahan. (Economic Times/AFP)
  • Abu Dhabi: intercepted missile debris falls in UAE capital: UAE authorities reported two incidents of debris from intercepted aerial threats falling in Abu Dhabi — demonstrating Iranian attacks are reaching the capital even when defense systems intercept them. (Guardian)
  • Trump mocks Starmer at Easter lunch, calls UK carriers "old broken-down": In leaked then deleted White House footage, Trump impersonated Starmer and mocked the UK's two aircraft carriers as "old, broken-down." Whitehall sources said Trump never actually requested the vessels. He also mocked Macron, saying he was "still recovering from the right to the jaw" and claimed his wife "treats him extremely badly." (Guardian)

What to Watch

  • UNSC Hormuz vote Saturday: The watered-down resolution now allows only "defensive means" — will China or Russia still veto? What does Iran's "provocative action" warning mean if it passes?
  • Military planners' summit next week: Can 30 nations coordinate defensive operations without US command? Will they risk confrontation with Iran?
  • April 6 deadline: Trump's extended Hormuz reopening deadline is 3 days away. What happens when it passes?
  • Gulf states' fence-sitting: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman skipped the UK summit. Are they negotiating with Iran behind the scenes?
  • Iran's toll booth formalization: Reports suggest Iran and Oman are drafting a protocol to "manage" Hormuz passage. Is Tehran cementing permanent control?
  • Economic data: Markets rallied late yesterday, but can the relief hold through Good Friday and the weekend?

Sources

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