Trump extended until April 6 his moratorium on attacks against Iran's energy infrastructure "at the request of the Tehran government" in what appears to be a new move towards de-escalation. However, it could be another strategy by the unpredictable U.S. president, as reported by The New York Times, the Pentagon is considering sending an additional 10,000 troops to the Middle East, including ground troops.
The newspaper, citing sources from the Department of Defense, states that this deployment would involve infantry and armored vehicles to provide more military options to the U.S. president, whose focus seems to be on negotiating with Iran, although these talks have not reached any conclusion to date. Neither Trump nor the Pentagon have ruled out a ground operation in the Islamic Republic, sparking more threats from Tehran to intensify attacks against Israel and U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf countries, as well as tightening their control over the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el Mandeb, crucial for global trade.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard urges civilians in the region to leave areas where U.S. forces are deployed
Iran's Revolutionary Guard has urged civilians in the region to leave areas where U.S. forces are deployed, as reported by Iranian media and Reuters.
This type of warning is usually interpreted as a sign of possible military escalation, suggesting that these areas could become targets in case of attacks or confrontations. In high-tension contexts, these messages aim to reduce potential civilian casualties and exert political and psychological pressure on the adversary.
Iran recruits children as young as 12 for security tasks in the war
Iran has launched a recruitment plan for security tasks that allows children as young as 12 to participate amid the war with the United States and Israel, which has been ongoing for 28 days, according to Efe.
"We have had a large number of teenagers and young people who want to participate in these activities, and given the ages of those who requested to join, we have set the minimum age at 12," said Rahim Nadali, deputy commander of the Mohamad Rasoulolá Corps, a strategic military unit of the Revolutionary Guard focused on Tehran's security.
In an interview with state television, Nadali stated that the recruits' duties will focus on patrols in the capital and intelligence work.
U.S. Secretary of State Rubio arrives at G7 meeting in France
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived on Friday at the Abbey of Vaux-de-Cernay near Paris to participate in the second day of the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting, largely dominated by the war in the Middle East and its global economic consequences, as reported by Afp.
In his first foreign visit since the offensive launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, the U.S. Secretary of State will be pressured by his counterparts to clarify the White House's strategy on this conflict, which has been ongoing for almost a month.
Inflation in Spain soars to 3.3% in the first month of the war in Iran
Inflation in Spain has surged to 3.3% in March, the first month of the war in Iran, one percentage point higher on an annual basis than in February and its highest level in almost two years, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE) on Friday.
The rise is mainly due to the increase in fuel prices, resulting from the rise in oil prices in international markets due to the conflict, as 20% of the world's oil daily passes through the Strait of Hormuz, now closed except for Iran's friendly countries.
Japan to relax coal restrictions amid energy crisis in the Middle East
The Japanese government is set to temporarily relax restrictions imposed on coal-fired power plants to mitigate the energy crisis caused by the war in the Middle East, authorities reported on Friday, as noted by Afp.
The administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi presented this project to a panel of experts during the day, which ultimately approved it, as detailed by the Ministry of Industry on its website.
"Considering the current situation in the Middle East, which affects fuel prices, we believe that uncertainty about future purchases of liquefied natural gas is increasing," a ministry official also stated during the online meeting.
Marco Rubio in France for a G7 meeting
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in France to participate in a meeting of G7 Foreign Ministers on Friday, as confirmed by AFP.
Rubio, who did not attend the first day of the talks on the outskirts of Paris, stated before departing that it was "of interest" for the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan to push for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, currently blocked by Iran.
Drone attack damages Kuwait's main port
Kuwait's main commercial port suffered damage in a drone attack on Friday, authorities reported, as Iran continues its campaign in the Gulf in retaliation for attacks by the United States and Israel, according to Afp.
The Shuwaikh port was attacked at dawn "by enemy drones; preliminary reports revealed material damage, but no human casualties," stated Kuwait's port authority in a statement posted on the X social network.
UN Security Council meeting on Iran
The UN Security Council will hold a closed-door meeting on Friday, at the request of Moscow, to address the war between the United States and Israel against Iran, according to a Russian official quoted by the Tass agency.
"The Russian Federation has requested the holding of closed consultations in the UN Security Council due to the ongoing attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran, particularly against educational and health facilities," stated Evgeni Uspenski, spokesperson for Russia's envoy to the UN.
Israel bombs missile production sites in Tehran
Israeli aviation bombed missile production sites in Tehran overnight, as well as launchers and warehouses in western Iran, as reported by the Army on Friday, according to Efe.
"The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continue to operate tirelessly against the regime's ballistic missile system, with the aim of reducing the range of attacks targeting Israeli civilians," stated the armed forces.
The attacks come as the United States and Iran negotiate, through Pakistan, the cessation of the conflict. In recent days, Israel has maintained its bombings against the Islamic Republic, although they have mainly focused on military targets rather than political ones.
Israel launches new attacks on Tehran
The Israeli Army announced early Friday new attacks on Tehran, the capital of Iran, as the war between both countries approaches one month, as reported by Efe.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted a brief message on their Telegram channel stating that they had "completed a broad wave of attacks against the terrorist regime's infrastructure in Tehran."
Media outlets such as Al Jazeera and the Iranian agency Tasnim reported explosions in the Iranian capital. The Fars agency reported attacks on Urmia in the northeast of the country and on Qom in central Iran, where six people were reportedly killed.
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia report new attacks on their territory
Kuwait and Saudi Arabia reported new drone attacks on their territory on Friday, on the eve of the one-month mark since the attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which triggered the start of the war in the Middle East, as reported by Efe.
Kuwait shot down two drones in different areas of the country, as announced on X by the National Guard spokesperson, Jad'an Fadel, who also noted that these interceptions "are part of ongoing efforts to enhance security, protect vital locations, and counter any potential threats."
Two hours earlier, the Kuwaiti Army indicated that its air defenses were responding to attacks by "hostile missiles and drones," without confirming if these interceptions correspond to the previously mentioned ones.
Explosions heard in southern Beirut
Explosions were heard in southern Beirut in the early hours of Friday, according to AFP journalists, local media, and the official Lebanese news agency, reporting Israeli attacks.