Iran hits Gulf refineries as Trump warns U.S. will attack Iranian bridges, power plants : NPR
Israeli rescue workers inspect the scene of a direct ballistic missile launch, after it was launched from Iran on April 2, 2026 in Petach Tikva, Israel. Iran continued to fire waves of drones and missiles at Israel after the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran early on February 28.
Amir Lévy/Getty Images
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Amir Lévy/Getty Images
Explosions and sirens rang out in Israel, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Friday as air defense systems tried to fend off Iranian drones and missiles. At least two refineries were set on fire by drone attacks or falling debris. The strikes came as President Trump reiterated his threats against Iranian leaders on the 35th day of the war.
“Our military…has not even begun to destroy what remains of Iran,” Trump said Thursday evening on social media. “Next bridges, then power stations!”
He added: “The leaders of the New Regime know what must be done, and must be done FAST!
Iranian officials said one of the longest bridges linking Tehran to the city of Karaj was destroyed overnight.
Among the targets hit by Iran on Friday was Kuwait’s largest oil refinery, setting some of its units on fire. UAE authorities reported an incident at the Habshan gas facility following falling debris.
The exchange of strikes and threats came amid renewed global efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway for oil supplies, which was blocked by Iran in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes against the canal that began on February 28. The blockade has pushed up the prices of oil, gas and fertilizers.
The price of Brent crude oil rose 7.8 percent on Friday, settling at $109.03 per barrel.
Here’s more news from the war with Iran on Friday:
US strikes against Iran | Iran attacks Gulf refineries | Talks on the Strait of Hormuz | Investigation into Iran attacks
One of Iran’s largest bridges destroyed in US strikes
The B1 bridge west of the capital Tehran, connecting it to the city of Karaj, was under construction when it was hit in an attack on Wednesday evening. Iranian security forces said eight people were killed in the attack.
Further strikes were reported across Iran overnight Thursday.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have threatened to strike major bridges in the Gulf region in retaliation.
Trump threatened that the United States would hit more civilian infrastructure, including power plants, by next week if Iranian leaders did not open the Strait of Hormuz. This threat has been criticized by many Iranians, even those who oppose the regime, such as opponent Reza Pahlavi, son of the former Shah, because of the hardship it would cause ordinary Iranians.
A bridge hit by U.S. airstrikes on Thursday is seen in the town of Karaj, west of Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2026.
Vahid Salemi/AP
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Vahid Salemi/AP
“If you say if these people are separated from the government and you just came here to overthrow this regime, then why are you attacking this power plant?” an Iranian who fled Tehran told NPR this week.
In response to the attacks, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on social media that “hitting civilian infrastructure will not force the Iranians to surrender.”
Iran launches missile and drone attacks on Israel and the Gulf
Kuwait’s oil company said Friday that several units at the country’s largest oil refinery, Mina Al-Ahmadi, were on fire following a drone attack.
Emergency crews were working to contain the fires and no injuries were reported. The refinery has already been the target of Iranian drones.
The Kuwaiti military also said its air defense systems respond to threats from hostile missiles and drones.
UAE authorities reported a fire at the Habshan gas facility caused by falling debris from an intercepted attack.
The Saudi Defense Ministry also said it had intercepted and destroyed a dozen drones.
Israel’s Health Ministry said Friday it had treated 148 people over the past day, the majority for minor injuries. Some 6,594 people have been treated since the start of the war, according to the ministry’s social media post.
Nations consider diplomatic pressure on Iran over Strait of Hormuz, but fail to reach deal
Leaders from 40 countries, meeting virtually on Thursday at the request of the British government, discussed diplomatic pressure and economic measures aimed at forcing Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but did not agree on any specific measures.
The meeting, hosted by British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, included representatives from European countries, Canada and the United Arab Emirates – but not the countries that started the war: the United States and Israel.
Earlier this week, Trump said the blocked strait did not affect the United States and asked other countries to fend for themselves if they wanted to get it reopened. Cooper said the rest of the world had to deal with the consequences of the war in Iran.
She said that by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Iran was “hijacking a global shipping route” and “holding the world economy hostage.”
“It hurts the trade of Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iraq… but it means liquefied natural gas for Asia, fertilizer for Africa and jet fuel for the world,” Cooper added.
She said traffic crossing the strait had fallen from 150 ships a day to 10 to 20 ships a day.
The meeting discussed diplomatic pressure on Iran as well as sanctions if Iran continues to keep the crossing closed. They rejected any attempt by Iran to impose tolls on ships transiting the waterway.
A residential building damaged by recent US-Israeli strikes is seen with a sign on its wall that says in Farsi: “We will stay until the end,” in Fardis, west of Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2026.
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Vahid Salemi/AP
Cooper said military planners from the countries participating in the meeting would meet next week to consider defensive capabilities for the security of the strait, once the fighting ends.
Officials also said they would work with the International Maritime Organization to try to help about 20,000 sailors and thousands of ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that the idea of using force to reopen the strait – as suggested by Trump – was “unrealistic”, adding that it would leave cargo ships in the strait vulnerable to Iranian attacks.
Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Friday they would cooperate to reopen the strait, according to the Associated Press.
US allies have repeatedly stated that they are not going to become militarily involved in the hot phase of the war.
Bellingcat says UAE downplayed Iranian attacks in new report
Investigative media outlet Bellingcat has published a new report showing several Iranian attacks against the UAE that were apparently downplayed or misinterpreted in official statements.
The government did not immediately respond to NPR’s request for comment on the report.
Bellingcat, which uses open source data, said a video shared by a migrant worker shows what appears to be an Iranian drone striking fuel storages in the emirate of Fujairah in early March. Satellite images show three destroyed tanks. But Bellingcat notes that the Fujairah media office said a fire was caused by debris following a successful interception – although no interception was visible.
In other examples, apparent drone strikes on Dubai airport and a hotel were not recognized as such.
Bellingcat also said satellite images showed two fires more than a mile apart in Dubai’s port last month, including in an area used by the US Navy. But authorities only acknowledged one fire at the time.
Emily Feng contributed to this report from Istanbul, Fatima Al-Kassab from London, Aya Batrawy from Dubai and Tina Kraja from Washington, DC.
