US-Israel war on Iran enters Day 31: Trump hails “big day” in Iran as U.S. military attacks, Kuwait power plant hit, UAE intercepts fresh wave of Iranian strikes, latest updates
Follow below for the latest updates
Follow below for the latest updates
The Ministry of Education has extended remote learning for all students, teachers, and administrative staff across nurseries, kindergartens, and public and private schools throughout the country to safeguard everyone’s health and safety. The decision will be revisited on a weekly basis.
US President Donald Trump said Washington is in serious discussions with what he called “a new, and more reasonable, regime” to end American military operations in Iran, adding that “great progress” had been made, via a Truth Social post.
Trump warned, however, that if a deal is not reached or if the Strait of Hormuz is not made “open for business,” the US would conclude its “stay” in Iran by destroying all Iranian electricity generating plants, oil wells, Kharg Island, and possibly all desalination plants — infrastructure he said had been “purposefully not yet touched.”
He framed the threat as retaliation for what he called the old regime’s 47-year “reign of terror” and the killing of American soldiers and others.
The arrival of 2,500 Marines and 2,500 sailors has pushed the total number of American troops in the Middle East to over 50,000 – roughly 10,000 above the usual level – as President Trump considers his next step in the month-old war against Iran, The New York Times reported.
Officials say Trump is weighing more aggressive options, including potentially seizing an island or other territory to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which around a fifth of the world’s oil normally passes but which has been largely closed due to Iranian retaliatory attacks.
The Pentagon also recently deployed around 2,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to the region, who could be used to seize Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, or support other ground operations alongside the Marines.
However, military experts cautioned that 50,000 troops remains a small force for any major land operation, noting that Iran is a country of 93 million people covering nearly a third of the size of the continental United States.
Meanwhile, the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier withdrew from the region on March 23 following a series of mishaps, including an onboard fire, and has since sailed to Croatia, the NYT report said.
UAE air defences intercepted 11 ballistic missiles and 27 UAVs launched from Iran on March 30, 2026.
Since the start of Iranian attacks, UAE air defences have engaged a cumulative total of 425 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,941 UAVs.
The attacks have resulted in the deaths of two UAE armed forces members, a Moroccan civilian contracted by the military, and eight other fatalities of Pakistani, Nepali, Bangladeshi, Palestinian, and Indian nationalities. A total of 178 people were also injured, with wounds ranging from minor to severe, among nationals from dozens of countries including the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India and others.
The Ministry of Defence affirmed that it remains fully prepared to counter any threats and will firmly respond to anything that undermines the country’s security, sovereignty, and stability.
The American University of Sharjah announced it will continue operating remotely as it monitors the current situation and prioritises community safety.
All classes, assessments, and staff functions will proceed online, with students expected to attend scheduled sessions as normal.
Faculty and staff were urged to follow updates through official channels and a recent message from the university’s chancellor.
A group of Hezbollah militants who were posing as paramedics and operating near an ambulance in southern Lebanon were struck.
The operatives had been using ambulances to move weapons between northern and southern Lebanon. Dozens of rockets were also fired toward Israel from areas where the group was active.
Saudi Ministry of Defence Spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki announced that five drones had been shot down within the past few hours, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The Kuwait National Guard announced Monday that it had shot down five drones in its operational zones.
Spokesperson Brigadier General Dr. Jadaan Fadhel stated the action was part of a broader ongoing effort to strengthen national security, protect critical infrastructure, and eliminate potential threats.
Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said its forces detected and intercepted five ballistic missiles heading toward the Eastern Region, following an earlier interception of a cruise missile aimed at the same area, according to military spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Malki.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said a service building at one of its power and water distillation plants was damaged in an Iranian attack, killing an Indian worker.
The ministry said technical and emergency teams immediately responded in accordance with the approved emergency plan, with operations continuing while authorities coordinate with security bodies to secure the damaged site.
Authorities in Dubai said the sounds heard across parts of the city on Monday were the result of successful air defence interception operations, urging residents to rely on official sources for updates.
The Arab League’s Council of Foreign Ministers unanimously condemned Iran’s attacks against Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq, describing them as deliberate and unprovoked aggression targeting residential areas, vital infrastructure, civilian facilities, diplomatic missions, and hotels.
The council affirmed the right of targeted states to defend themselves individually or collectively and expressed full solidarity with all affected nations.
The council warned that the attacks would have long-term negative consequences on Iran’s relations with Arab states that played no part in the war, and stressed that such strikes cannot be justified under any pretext.
It also condemned Iranian attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz and disrupt freedom of navigation, demanding Iran immediately halt attacks on commercial vessels and calling on the international community to ensure safe passage through the waterway.
The council condemned Iran’s non-compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026) and demanded full compensation for all victims of Iranian attacks. It also strongly rejected Iran’s continued financing and arming of proxy militias across the Arab world.
On Lebanon, the council welcomed the Lebanese cabinet’s decision banning Hezbollah’s military activities and called for arms to be held exclusively by the Lebanese state. On Palestine, it called for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, urging implementation of the two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.
UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan strongly condemned attacks on civilian infrastructure across the region, including schools, hospitals, desalination plants, airports, and residential areas, describing them as grave violations of international law that cannot be accepted or justified under any circumstances.
He said the attacks have cost civilian lives, caused injuries, and terrorised millions of people across the region.
Sheikh Abdullah warned that targeting energy installations, ports, airports, and maritime passages poses severe risks not only to individual states but to global economic stability and critical supply chains.
He declared that civilian infrastructure is not a theatre of war, describing its targeting as a dangerous escalation and a red line that will not be tolerated, and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the protection of civilian lives without exception.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned a drone attack on the residence of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in Duhok Province, calling for an immediate and thorough investigation and accountability for those responsible.
Guterres urged all parties to reject violence and work to prevent further attempts to destabilise Iraq.
US President Donald Trump declared it a significant day of military action in Iran, saying numerous long-targeted sites had been struck and destroyed.
“Many long sought after targets have been taken out and destroyed by our GREAT MILITARY, the finest and most lethal in the World. God bless you all! President DJT,” he said via a post on Truth Social.
Day 26 – US-Israel conflict on Iran enters Day 26: Trump says war is ‘won’, in talks with ‘right people’, Kuwait airport hit, latest updates
Day 6 – US-Israel conflict on Iran: Fresh strikes on Tehran, UAE flight status, latest updates
Day 5 – US‑Israel conflict on Iran: UAE affirms right to self‑defence, latest updates
Day 4 – US-Israel strikes on Iran: Latest updates – everything you need to know
Day 2 – Israel-US strikes Iran: Latest updates
Day 1 – Israel launches ‘pre-emptive attack’ on Iran as explosions hit central Tehran
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