CAIRO, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict entered its 34th day on Thursday, as U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran "extremely hard over the next two to three weeks," while Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps claimed it had targeted and destroyed Amazon's cloud computing operation center in Bahrain.
The following is an overview of the latest developments in the crisis affecting much of the region and beyond.
The United States
-- Trump has threatened to halt weapon supplies for Ukraine to pressure European allies into joining a "coalition of the willing" to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, citing officials familiar with the matter.
Trump demanded that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) navies help reopen the strategic waterway last month after it was effectively closed amid the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
Several European capitals reportedly rebuffed the request, saying such a move would be impossible while the conflict was ongoing, with some officials arguing that the confrontation was "not our war."
-- While saying the United States is "nearing completion" of its core objectives in Iran, Trump on Wednesday night threatened to hit Iran "extremely hard over the next two to three weeks," a timeline he has recently set for ending the monthlong war.
Israel
-- The Israel Defense Forces said that it struck a ground forces base of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps in Tehran.
The strike was part of a broader wave of attacks targeting Iran's infrastructure across the capital on Wednesday, the military said, describing the base as a central unit within Iran's armed forces. It also said a mobile command post was hit while commanders were inside.
-- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened to kill Hezbollah's Secretary-General Naim Qassem, according to a statement from his office. Katz added that Israel will "cleanse" southern Lebanon from Hezbollah and its supporters, and maintain "security control over the entire Litani River area."
-- The Israeli Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure announced the resumption of operations at Israel's largest natural gas field, Leviathan, off the country's northern coast in the Mediterranean Sea.
Iran
-- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement it has targeted and destroyed Amazon's cloud computing operation center in Bahrain in its first action against U.S. and Israeli "espionage" firms in the region in retaliation for the "assassinations" of Iranians.
-- Iran's main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said that the war will continue until the "enemies" surrender, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the headquarters spokesman, warned of "more crushing, expanded and devastating actions" in response to the U.S. and Israeli attacks.
-- One of Iran's largest steel plants has ceased operations due to severe damage from U.S. and Israeli strikes, the company said.
Mobarakeh Steel Company in Isfahan province said it has been hit twice since the attacks began in late February, most recently on Tuesday, leading to a complete production shutdown. Personnel have been told not to report until further notice. Another major steel complex in Khuzestan province has also sustained substantial damage.
-- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei condemned a U.S. attack on a sports hall in the southern Fars province, which killed 21 teenagers, calling it a "despicable war crime."
-- Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian called on the World Health Organization and other relevant institutes to take action against the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian hospitals, pharmaceutical firms and a renowned medical research center located in the capital Tehran.
-- At least eight civilians were killed and 95 others wounded in the attacks on the B1 bridge in Iran's northern Alborz province.
A deputy governor for the province said there were no military activities in the areas surrounding the bridge, stressing that the structure was under construction and scheduled for inauguration in the coming days.
Lebanon
-- At least 10 people were killed by Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon at dawn and in the morning on Thursday, according to Lebanon's official National News Agency and the country's Public Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said in separate statements that it launched multiple attacks on Israeli military targets and positions along the border, including an Israeli helicopter, a Merkava tank, several troop positions and Israeli settlements. It also fired rockets at the Israeli army's Northern Command headquarters at the Dado base north of the Israeli city of Safed.
Türkiye
-- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan participated in an online international meeting aimed at resolving the escalating crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported, citing Turkish diplomatic sources.
The high-level session, organized by Britain, brought together representatives from 40 countries to address the virtual standstill of maritime traffic in one of the world's most vital energy corridors.
Yemen
-- Yemen's Houthi group said that it had launched a fourth wave of coordinated ballistic missile attacks targeting Israel, saying the move is part of an escalating regional confrontation involving multiple allied forces.
Iraq
-- Two booby-trapped drones attacked the Victoria Base at Iraq's Baghdad International Airport, sparking a fire, a security source said.
An Interior Ministry source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that two drones attacked the Victoria Base in the evening, where the U.S. Embassy's Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center is located, causing a fire.
The United Arab Emirates
-- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is ready to participate in any measures to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing regional tensions, UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar said in an interview with Al Ittihad.
-- The Dubai Media Office rejected the IRGC's claim that it attacked a data center of the U.S. Oracle tech corporation based in Dubai.
Morocco
-- Morocco announced a monthly subsidy package totaling 180 million U.S. dollars to cushion the impact of surging energy prices triggered by the ongoing Middle East conflict.
France
-- French President Emmanuel Macron said that using military force to "free" the Strait of Hormuz is unrealistic, according to local media reports.
China
-- China again urges all parties involved in the Iran war to immediately cease military operations and start the peace talk process as soon as possible, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.
Mao made the remarks at a regular news briefing after U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday night local time threatened to hit Iran "extremely hard over the next two to three weeks," a timeline he has recently set for ending the monthlong war.
Russia
-- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi discussed the Middle East conflict and de-escalation efforts, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
During a phone conversation initiated by the Iranian side, the ministers reviewed in detail the developments surrounding the conflict and efforts undertaken by a number of countries to de-escalate tensions, the ministry said in a statement.
UN
-- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his call for the United States and Israel to stop the war against Iran, and for Iran to stop attacking its neighbors.
"My message is clear. To the United States and Israel, it is high time to stop the war that is inflicting immense human suffering and already triggering devastating economic consequences. To Iran, to stop attacking its neighbors," the UN chief said in remarks to the press.
-- A 20 percent rise in global food prices could drive an additional 5 million people into food insecurity across Arab middle- and low-income countries, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) warned in a policy brief.
The risk is immediate and growing, particularly for fragile, conflict-affected countries with limited fiscal space and heavy dependence on food imports, the report said. ■
