On one of the holiest days on the Islamic calendar, , insisting that it can still build missiles and issuing a new threat: to deny safety to its enemies in 鈥減arks, recreational areas and tourist destinations鈥� worldwide. as Iranians marked Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
The U.S. military is deploying three more warships and roughly 2,500 more marines to the Middle East, where there’s no end to the war in sight despite three weeks of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that have decimated Iran’s military and leadership. The Pentagon鈥檚 request for another would need congressional approval as the U.S. national debt hits a record $39 trillion.
Hours later, President Donald Trump said on social media that his administration in fact was considering 鈥渨inding down鈥� military operations in the region. His post came after another plunged the U.S. stock market.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will stop attacking the gas field that Iranians depend on for most of their electricity at Trump’s request. Iran responded to Israel鈥檚 attack on the field by intensifying .
The death toll has risen to more than 1,300 people in Iran, more than 1,000 people in Lebanon, 15 in Israel and 13 U.S. military members in the region. Millions of people in Lebanon and Iran have been displaced.
Here is the latest:
Israel strikes targets in Tehran and Beirut
The Israeli military said early Saturday it was striking targets in Tehran.
The announcement came shortly after the military said it had begun a wave of strikes targeting Hezbollah positions across the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon.
Hours earlier, the army renewed evacuation warnings for seven neighborhoods in Beirut鈥檚 suburbs, prompting some residents to fire gunshots to alert families who had returned to flee.
No casualties were immediately reported.
United Airlines prepares for oil to reach $175 a barrel
The airline鈥檚 CEO said the company is also preparing for oil to not return to $100 a barrel until the end of next year.
Scott Kirby said in a message to United employees on Friday that jet fuel prices that have more than doubled in the last three weeks already would cost the airline $11 billion a year if they remain where they are now.
The price of Brent crude has zigzagged from roughly $70 per barrel before the Iran war began to as high as $119.50 this week.
Of United鈥檚 worst-case assumption, Kirby said, 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a good chance it won鈥檛 be that bad, but … there isn鈥檛 much downside for us to preparing for that outcome.鈥�
The Trump administration will lift sanctions on Iranian oil stranded at sea under a 1-month license
The move comes as the White House tries to bring down soaring oil prices.
The pause applies to Iranian oil loaded on ships as of Friday and is set to end on April 19.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previously suggested the move as a way to prevent China from being the sole beneficiary of Iranian oil.
The Trump administration also eased sanctions on certain Russian oil shipments for 30 days as it looks for ways to during .
The license has limits including a restriction on sales involving anyone in North Korea or Cuba.
Trump adds new objective for the Iran war
Though his administration for weeks has maintained that its four objectives remained 鈥渦nchanged, unambiguous, and consistent鈥� since the operation began, Trump in his social media post added a fifth one.
The four objectives had been to block Iran鈥檚 path to a nuclear weapon, stop it from arming proxy militant groups, destroy its navy and destroy its ballistic missile capacity.
In his post Friday, Trump enumerated those and added a fifth: 鈥淧rotecting, at the highest level, our Middle Eastern Allies鈥� and listed America鈥檚 Gulf partners.
Trump say US is considering 鈥榳inding down鈥� its Middle East military operation
The president made the comment in a post on social media Friday evening after another climb in oil prices sent the U.S. stock market sharply lower.
Trump鈥檚 statement seemed at odds with his administration鈥檚 move to send more troops and warships to the region and request another $200 billion from Congress to fund the war.
In his post, the president also left a muddled picture of whether the U.S. would police the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. Trump had said this week that the U.S. didn鈥檛 need help, while also complaining that other countries did not help.
Pete Hegseth鈥檚 Christian rhetoric draws renewed scrutiny during Iran war
Since becoming defense secretary, Pete Hegseth has found no shortage of ways to bring his strand of conservative evangelicalism into the Pentagon. From employee worship services to speeches and interviews, he often argues the U.S. is a Christian nation, and troops should embrace God.
Now Hegseth鈥檚 Christian rhetoric has taken on new meaning after the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran, an Islamic theocracy.
鈥淭he mullahs are desperate and scrambling,鈥� he said at a recent Pentagon press briefing, referring to Iran鈥檚 Shiite Muslim clerics. He later recited Psalm 144, a passage of Scripture that Jews and Christians share: 鈥淏lessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.鈥�
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Normally festive Nowruz celebrations are quiet in Tehran, a resident says
In one upscale northern Tehran neighborhood there are none of the usual decorations celebrating the Persian New Year.
鈥淚n the city, people are mostly staying at home. You hardly see anyone out on the street. Basically, there is no mood (for new year) in the city at all,鈥� said the woman, who spoke in a series of voice messages. She spoke on condition of anonymity because she fears reprisals.
She almost forgot about the holiday amid the fighting, until she saw someone carrying a hyacinth, a traditional flower of the celebration.
The holiday last year had been muted by a commemoration of her father鈥檚 death. 鈥淭his year, it feels much heavier … everyone around is feeling bad,鈥� she said.
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By Sahar Ameri
As Washington shifts missiles toward Iran, US officials raise concerns of gaps in European air defenses
U.S. defense officials have told The Associated Press that a sizable number of Patriot air defense interceptor missiles have moved from Europe to the Middle East as Washington in Iran.
Two officials say this leaves concerning gaps in Europe鈥檚 air defenses against Russia. A third said there is still 鈥減lenty鈥� of capacity in NATO to defend Europe. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.
Asked to comment on the missiles being moved, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to AP: 鈥淭he US military has more than enough munitions, ammo, and weapons stockpiles to achieve the goals of Operation Epic Fury laid out by President Trump 鈥� and beyond.鈥�
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By Emma Burrows, Michelle L. Price, Konstantin Toropin and Suzan Fraser
Iran war is unleashing a ‘triple emergency,鈥� international humanitarian organization says
International Rescue Committee President David Miliband said the Iran war 鈥渉as explosive consequences globally, and it is the world鈥檚 most vulnerable who risk paying the highest price.鈥�
The former UK foreign minister warned that the war is creating a surge in humanitarian needs, pointing to over one million people displaced in Lebanon in weeks.
The war has also created economic shock waves with food, fuel and fertilizer markets disrupted, Miliband said. He said up to 30% of fertilizer trade is at risk which could threaten more than 300 million people now facing acute food insecurity.
Miliband said the war is adding to more than 60 other conflicts, taking attention and funding away from crises in Gaza, Sudan and elsewhere.
High oil prices knock down stocks and erase Wall Street鈥檚 hopes for a cut to interest rates
The S&P 500 fell 1.5% to close its fourth straight losing week, its longest such streak in a year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 443 points, or 1%, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 2%. Friday鈥檚 losses deepened after oil prices accelerated to settle at $112.19 per barrel of Brent crude.
Stocks also bent under the weight of leaping yields in the bond market. Higher yields make and other borrowing more expensive for U.S. households and companies, slowing the economy, and they grind down on prices for all kinds of investments.
Treasury yields have been jumping on worries the will cause a long-term spike in oil and natural gas prices that drives up inflation. Investors now see little room for central banks worldwide to cut interest rates to help their economies.
The Iran war poses risks and benefits for Argentina, now an energy exporter
The Iran war has Argentines worrying inflation will spike, threatening the fiscal surplus President Javier Milei won at the cost of widespread anger over his economic austerity policies.
鈥淓very week there鈥檚 an increase鈥� in gasoline prices, complained German Toledo, 38, a highway safety officer. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 make it to the end of the month.鈥�
鈥淎rgentina has weathered this shock relatively well so far鈥� by becoming a net energy exporter, of $8 billion in oil and gas last year, International Monetary Fund spokesperson Julie Kozack said Thursday.
But higher export revenues will lag behind the bills Argentines must pay for importing costlier liquefied natural gas, said Mariano Machado, a principal analyst for the Americas at the global risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft.
鈥淭he Iran shock has arrived at the worst possible moment for Milei鈥檚 counter-inflation program,鈥� Machado said. The higher gas prices have pushed Milei鈥檚 target of 1% monthly inflation 鈥渕athematically out of reach鈥� until mid-year.
Trump says of the Strait that 鈥榓t a certain point, it will open itself鈥�
The president said as he prepared to leave the White House that Iran 鈥渇rom a military standpoint, they鈥檙e finished鈥� but they鈥檙e 鈥渃logging up鈥� the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said it would be a 鈥渟imple military maneuver鈥� to keep the vital shipping lane open but it requires help, which he described as 鈥渟hips鈥� and 鈥渧olume.鈥�
He said 鈥渋t would be nice鈥� if the countries that rely on the strait would get involved in helping to keep it open.
Trump condemns Iran鈥檚 execution of three protesters
Asked by a reporter about the accused of violence during Iran鈥檚 anti-government protests last year, Trump said it was 鈥渢errible.鈥�
鈥淭hese are thugs and animals and horrible people,鈥� Trump said as he departed the White House. 鈥淐an鈥檛 hit anybody harder than we鈥檝e hit them. But I鈥檓 not surprised, they executed three young people for protesting.鈥�
Trump says 鈥業 may have a plan, I may not鈥� to attack Kharg Island
Trump was asked while leaving the White House on Friday afternoon about plans to have U.S. forces further target Kharg Island in Persian Gulf, which is vital to Iran鈥檚 oil network.
He responded, 鈥淚 may have a plan I may not鈥� but said he wouldn鈥檛 tell reporters one way or the other.
鈥淚t鈥檚 certainly a place that people are talking about. But I can鈥檛 tell you that,鈥� Trump added.
US imposes new Sanctions on Hezbollah
The Department of the Treasury sanctioned Friday a network of 16 individuals and entities led by what it called is Hezbollah financier and former public investment official Alaa Hassan Hamieh for diverting funds to benefit Lebanon鈥檚 Hezbollah group.
The treasury said these individuals and companies 鈥� located in Lebanon, Syria, Poland, Slovenia, Qatar, and Canada 鈥� have been involved in numerous economic projects and are estimated to have enabled the diversion of over $100 million since 2020.
This network represents a critical source of funding for Hezbollah, it said.
The U.S. Department of State designated Hezbollah as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2001, and three years earlier as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Schumer says $200 billion funding request for Iran war 鈥榳ill never happen鈥�
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer says that a potential $200 billion price tag for the Iran war 鈥渨ill never happen鈥� if it is sent to Congress and it is a 鈥減reposterous and dangerous risk.鈥�
Schumer said in a Senate floor speech Friday that 鈥渆ven a fraction of $200 billion is unacceptable for a war without a plan, without an endgame, and without the support of the American people.鈥� He called on President Donald Trump to end the war.
The Pentagon has sent a $200 billion request to the White House, but the White House has not yet sent an official request to Congress. Once there is an official request, Republicans would need some Democratic support to pass it in the Senate.
鈥淪o much could be done with that money instead of a war that Donald Trump has chosen to wage without even a vote in Congress,鈥� Schumer said.
UK to allow US to use bases against Iran attacks in Strait of Hormuz
British ministers have agreed to allow the U.S. military to use the U.K.鈥檚 bases in operations to prevent Iran attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement, No. 10 Downing Street said ministers met Friday afternoon and 鈥渃onfirmed that the agreement for the U.S. to use U.K. bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes U.S. defensive operations to degrade the missilself-defensecapabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.鈥�
The statement follows President Donald Trump鈥檚 labelling of NATO partners as 鈥渃owards鈥� for not directly joining operations to securlabelingait of Hormuz.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer allowed the U.S. to use U.K. bases in the region for defensive operations a few days after the start of the war on Feb. 28, when Iran started launching missiles and drones around the Middle East, notably those on the other side of the Persian Gulf.
Under that agreement, U.S. armed forces could use the bases to target Iran鈥檚 missiles and missile facilities.
232 service members injured in Iran war so far, U.S. military says
Capt. Tim Hawkins, the spokesman for U.S. Central Command, told The Associated Press that 232 service members have been injured in the Middle East.
That鈥檚 30 more than a previous military tally of roughly 200 from Monday.
Hawkins said 207 of the 232 injured have already returned to duty. The number of service members that are considered seriously wounded has remained at 10.
Since the war in Iran began, 13 U.S. service members have been killed.
Lebanon death toll reaches 1,021 and millions in Iran seek refuge
Lebanon鈥檚 Health Ministry said Friday that 20 deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, and that 57 more people were wounded raising the total injured to 2,641.
Israel renewed its offensive in Lebanon after Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel, two days after the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran triggered the widening war. Israel has since ordered evacuations from large parts of Lebanon, displacing more than 1 million people.
The U.N. refugee agency said last week that more than 3.2 million people inside Iran have been displaced as U.S. and Israeli airstrikes target Tehran and other major cities. And on Thursday, the U.N. migration agency said more than 80,000 people had fled to neighboring countries, mostly Afghanistan.
Israel strikes Iran鈥檚 feared Basij from commanders down to street level, but its grip remains strong
Iran threatened recreational and tourist sites worldwide, insisted it was still building missiles and its supreme leader issued another defiant statement on Friday. The United States was deploying more warships and three weeks into alongside Israel.
Iran fired on Israel and as many in the region marked one of the holiest days on the Muslim calendar. Iranians were also celebrating the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday that .
With little information coming out of Iran, it was not clear how much damage its arms, nuclear or energy facilities have sustained in the punishing U.S. and Israeli strikes that began Feb. 28 鈥� or even who . But Iran鈥檚 attacks are still choking off oil supplies and denting the global economy, far beyond the Middle East.
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A look at celebrations for Eid al-Fitr around the world, in photos
From prayers amid the rubble of Gaza to the great mosques of Istanbul, Muslims around the world are celebrating the holiday of Eid al-Fitr as they bid farewell to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Eid is typically greeted with joy and excitement and is marked with prayers and festivities that include family visits, gatherings, outings and new clothes. Prayers and celebrations are being held across Muslim countries like Egypt, and by Muslims in Greece, Russia and further afield.
This year Eid is also being marked with war raging in Iran and many parts of the Middle East.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
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Iranian diaspora marks Nowruz with heavy hearts as war cuts contact with loved ones
When Iran erupted in at the end of 2025, Shayan Ghadimi鈥檚 mother returned to the country from Paris to see the uprising for herself.
Her absence 鈥� and the struggle to stay in touch through the that followed and now the 鈥� hang over the family. Like many Iranians outside the country, they will mark the normally festive Persian new year, , with heavy hearts 鈥� or not at all.
Ghadimi鈥檚 70-year-old mother had watched the early protests on TV. 鈥淲e could see the market closed, the people in the street. She said, 鈥業 want to be there,鈥欌�� Ghadimi, 41, said as she prepared to serve lunches in the spice-scented restaurant she runs in Paris.
鈥淣ow, she is all alone at home, with no way to stay in contact, watching the sky. I cannot imagine the state she is in,鈥� Ghadimi said.
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UK denies Iran鈥檚 claim of aggression
Britain鈥檚 top diplomat says the U.K. is involved only in defensive action, after Iran鈥檚 foreign minister said the U.S. use of British bases to attack Iran amounted to 鈥減articipation in aggression.鈥�
The British government says Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that 鈥渢he defensive U.K. operations in the region were a response to the Iranian aggression against Gulf partners.鈥�
In a call on Thursday she warned Iran against targeting British bases, territory or interests directly, and made clear that the U.K. wants to see a swift resolution.
Energy fallout from Iran war signals a global wake-up call for renewable energy
The war in Iran is exposing the world鈥檚 reliance on fragile fossil fuel routes, lending urgency to calls for hastening the shift to renewable energy.
Fighting has through the , the narrow waterway that carries about a fifth of the world鈥檚 oil and liquefied natural gas, or LNG. The disruption has jolted energy markets, and .
Asia, where most of the oil was headed, has been , but the disruptions also are a strain for Europe, where policymakers are looking for ways to cut energy demand, and for Africa, which is bracing for .
Unlike during previous oil shocks, renewable power is now competitive with fossil fuels in many places. More than 90% of new renewable power projects worldwide in 2024 were cheaper than fossil-fuel alternatives, according to the .
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