US-Israel-Iran War Live News Updates: Iran Strikes Industrial Plant Near Dimona; Trump Says He Wants To Take Iran's Oil

The arrival of 2,500 Marines and another 2,500 sailors is keeping the number of American troops in the region at roughly 10,000 more than usual, reports The Wall Street Journal. The number of troops no longer includes the 4,500 aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Gerald Ford, however. That ship has been hobbled by constant mishaps, including a fire that broke out in the laundry. The Ford withdrew from the region on March 23 and sailed to Crete.

An industrial facility was struck by an Iranian missile, an exclusive ground report of NDTV said. Authorities warn of potential hazardous chemical exposure, with emergency teams on-site battling the blaze and securing the area. The strike occurred close to Dimona, a significant region near Israel's nuclear facility, heightening concerns over environmental and security risks. Civilians and workers were seen rushing into bunkers as air defence systems intercepted incoming threats amid continuous sirens and missile alerts.

Alert at 9: 15 a.m: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has identified missiles launched from Iran towards Israel.

Reporter: Are you considering boots on the ground and would you do it without asking Congress?

Trump: "I just have lots of alternates!" "We have tremendous numbers of ships over there. We don't need them all because of, you know, the power." "Just like we're ahead of schedule on the White House ballroom, we're ahead of schedule with Iran! "We're weeks ahead of schedule!"

Trump on reports that US allowed a Russian oil tanker go to Cuba: "We don't mind having somebody get a boat load because they need to survive... I'd prefer letting it in, whether it's Russia or anybody else, because the people need heat and cooling."

US President Donald Trump says a significant military operation has taken place in Iran, with multiple targets destroyed. In a post on his social media channel Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Big day in Iran. 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." [sic]

A petrochemical facility was struck in Iran's northern region early morning. Iranian media reported early Monday that one of the facilities of Tabriz Petrochemical was struck in a northern province of the country. They said no hazardous materials had been released. The company takes oil or natural gas and processes them into chemical products used to make everyday materials like plastics and chemicals.

Australia has halved its taxes on gasoline and diesel and removed a tax on heavy vehicles to counter the economic impacts of soaring fuel prices. The government announced on Monday it expects the tax reductions will cost federal coffers 2.55 billion Australian dollars ($1.74 billion) over three months.

Taxes on gasoline and diesel will be halved to 26.3 Australian cents a liter (68.2 cents a gallon) from Wednesday. The heavy vehicle road user charge of 32.4 Australian cents per liter of diesel (84.1 cents a gallon) that truck and bus operators pay to compensate for the added damage they cause roads will be removed.

Tasmania state introduced free public transport on Monday to reduce private vehicle use and Victoria state will remove public transport fees from Wednesday.

(Source: AP)

A security alert at Florida 's Palm Beach International Airport  prompted the launch of F-16 fighter jets and the deployment of flares after a civilian aircraft violated temporary flight restrictions near US President Donald Trump's Air Force One, The New York Post reported.

According to the New York Post, authorities imposed a ground stop at the airport while North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft intercepted the general aviation plane.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said the meetings in Pakistan are aimed at opening a 'direct dialogue' between the US and Iran, which have largely communicated through mediators. The war began with US and Israeli strikes during indirect talks. Pakistan said the foreign ministers met Sunday without US or Israeli participation.

An adviser to the United Arab Emirates, Anwar Gargash, called for any settlement to the war to include 'clear guarantees' that Iranian attacks on neighbours will not be repeated. He said Iran's government has become 'the main threat' to Persian Gulf security, and called for compensation for attacks on civilian infrastructure.
 

Pakistan announced that it will soon host talks between the US and Iran, though there was no immediate word from Washington or Tehran, and it was unclear whether discussions on the month-long war would be direct or indirect. "Pakistan is very happy that both Iran and the US have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate the talks. Pakistan will be honoured to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in the coming days,” Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said after top diplomats from Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia met in Islamabad.

Pakistan later said the diplomats had departed for their home countries. The talks were originally scheduled to continue on Monday.

Pakistan's foreign ministry did not answer questions, and Iran's mission to the United Nations declined to comment.
 

Iran's Parliament Speaker, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf advised traders to be cautious of pre-market announcements, suggesting they're often a setup for profit-taking. In a post on X, he wrote, "Heads-up: Pre-market so-called 'news' or 'Truth' is often just a setup for profit-taking. Basically, it’s a reverse indicator. Do the opposite: If they pump it, short it. If they dump it, go long. See something tomorrow? You know the drill." [sic]

Donald Trump has told the Financial Times that he could "take the oil in Iran," including the possible seizure of Kharg Island, the country’s main oil-export terminal. “To be honest with you, my favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran,” Trump said, adding that he had faced criticism at home for the idea.

He suggested Kharg Island could be a target, saying the US had “a lot of options” and that occupying the island would likely require a sustained presence. Asked about Iran’s defences there, Trump said he did not believe the island was well protected and claimed it could be taken "very easily."

His remarks come as an additional 3,500 US troops arrive in the Middle East, amid rising concerns that further escalation could put American forces at risk of Iranian attacks.
 

An Iranian strike on a power station in Kuwait has killed one Indian worker and damaged a building at the site, the Gulf state's electricity ministry said.

Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has thanked the people of Iraq for their support during the war against the United States and Israel, according to Iranian media reports. Khamenei, the son of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei who was killed in an airstrike at the outbreak of the war on February 28, has not yet appeared in public since his appointment and has issued only a limited number of written statements.

In his latest message, Khamenei "expressed his appreciation to the supreme religious authority in Iraq and the Iraqi people for their clear stance against the aggression against Iran and for their support of our country," the ISNA news agency reported. The statement referred to Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the Iraq-based cleric who is one of the most influential figures in Shia Islam.

Donald Trump said Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei "may be alive but he's obviously, very seriously in trouble. He's seriously wounded."

US President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to allow 20 ships carrying oil through the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday morning and continuing over the next few days "out of a sign of respect." "I would only say that we're doing extremely well in that negotiation but you never know with Iran because we negotiate with them and then we always have to blow them up," Trump told reporters Sunday night board Air Force One as he flew to Washington.

Trump was asked if Iran had responded to the 15-point ceasefire plan the US has proposed and he said, they did and added, "They gave us most of the points. Why wouldn't they?" But Trump didn't offer details when asked about Iran, by his telling, appearing to make major concessions. "They're agreeing with us on the plan," Trump said.