US–Israel war on Iran, day 35: Tehran vows 'crushing' attacks as strikes hit regional infrastructure

DUBAI 21°CGOLD/FOREXPRAYER TIMESNEWSLETTERSLOGIN GOLD/FOREXDUBAI 21°CPRAYER TIMES WORLDWORLDGULFMENAEUROPEAFRICAAMERICASASIAAUSTRALIA-NEW ZEALANDCORRECTIONS World / MenaLIVEUS–Israel war on Iran, day 35: Tehran vows 'crushing' attacks as strikes hit regional infrastructureStrikes hit key infrastructure across the region, raising fears of wider conflict China's permanent representative to the United Nations has voiced Beijing's firm resistance to any measures that would allow member states to engage in military action within the Middle East, Al Jazeera reported. Addressing the international body, Fu Cong stated that such an authorisation "would amount to legitimising the unlawful and indiscriminate use of force." Beijing's formal opposition at the UN aligns with its broader diplomatic response to recent rhetoric from Washington. China on Thursday responded to the recent "bring them back to the stone ages" remarks made by US President Donald Trump against Iran, stressing that escalation will not resolve the conflict, China Daily reported. Elaborating on this position, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning emphasised that "military means cannot fundamentally solve any issue, and escalation of the conflict does not serve any party's interest," according to China Daily. Kuwait announced that its air defences intercepted hostile missile and drone attacks. The Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) quoted the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, Colonel Staff Saud Al-Atwan, stating that the sounds of explosions were the result of air defence systems intercepting the hostile strikes. Iran and its allies traded fire with Israel and the United States, as Washington-linked assets across the Middle East were targeted alongside energy and civilian infrastructure -- with the month-long war on Friday showing little sign of easing. Strikes have increasingly targeted economic and industrial sites, raising fears of wider disruption to global energy supplies and deepening the conflict's impact beyond the battlefield. Iran fired missiles at Tel Aviv overnight, triggering Israeli air defences and leaving four people lightly wounded, while fresh blasts were heard in Jerusalem after the military warned of incoming fire. As the US-Iran war with Iran continues to disrupt global shipping, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has convened around 40 countries to demand the "immediate and unconditional reopening" of the Strait of Hormuz. "Now that we are facing these reckless Iranian attacks on international shipping, affecting countries from across the globe who played no part in this conflict, and more than 40 countries coming together for these discussions today, we're clear we need the diplomatic pressure, the economic pressure and also the work being done by military planners on how to keep shipping safe for the long term," she said in comments posted by ITV Politics. With flows from Gulf oil significantly curtailed by the tanker squeeze on Hormuz by Iran, Russian crude has surged in demand, rapidly repositioning itself as one of the most sought-after supplies on the global market. Urals, the Russian crude oil benchmark, surged to $123.45 as of 10.17PM GMT on Thursday (7.17am Tokyo on Friday, April 3, 2026), a 6.44% increase, while Brent crude rose at $109.03, up more than 7.78%, since Trump's speech on the Iran war which drew more questions than answers. NEW YORK: Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), has called on the Security Council to take all necessary measures to ensure an immediate end to Iran's unprovoked attacks on GCC states. He further urged the Council to protect waterways, guarantee the continuity of international navigation in all maritime straits, and include GCC countries in any talks or agreements with Iran to enhance regional security and prevent future recurrences. Dubai: The Dubai Government has denied reports circulating online that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targeted a data centre belonging to US technology company Oracle in Dubai. In a statement posted on X, the Dubai Government Media Office said the reports alleging that the IRGC had launched or attempted an attack in Dubai were “fake news” and had no basis in fact. US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George has stepped down and is retiring, per Pentagon spokesman. This follows a CBS report that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had asked for his "removal". He is the highest-ranking US military official to leave during an active war since the conflict began 33 days ago. Calling for resumption of talks to resolve the ongoing conflict in West Asia, French President Emmanuel Macron said that it would be "unrealistic" to conduct military operation to liberate the Strait of Hormuz. "There are those who advocate for the liberation of the Strait of Hormuz by force through a military operation, a position sometimes expressed by the US. "It is unrealistic because it would take an inordinate amount of time and would expose anyone crossing the strait to coastal threats from the (Iranian) Revolutionary Guards, who possess significant resources, as well as ballistic missiles, (and) a host of other risks," Euro News quoted Macron as saying during his State Visit to South Korea. Day 34: UN chief warns world on 'edge of a wider war' Day 33: Trump says US to hit Iran 'extremely hard' Day 32: Debris hits several homes in Dubai, 4 injured Day 31: Trump threatens to obliterate Iran's Kharg island Day 30: Tehran warns Washington against ground invasion UK and over 40 nations push to open Strait of Hormuz Hormuz hangs in balance as Trump eyes quick Iran exit Hormuz toll 'unacceptable': Rubio drops hammer on Iran Iran’s rejection of US plan shows hardliners’ sway