Israel strikes key Iran naval missile site, military says

Air strikes struck multiple areas of Tehran and Isfahan, with explosions reported across several districts and nearby towns early Friday, according to accounts circulating on social media and initial reports.

The Israeli military also announced a new wave of attacks targeting the Islamic Republic, after which explosions were heard across central, western, eastern and northern parts of the capital.

Reports also described blasts in surrounding areas including Robat Karim, Rey, Varamin and Shahriar.

In Isfahan, accounts pointed to sustained strikes hitting different parts of the city over an extended period. Explosions were also reported in Kashan and Shahin Shahr.

The scale and intensity of the strikes were described by users online as unprecedented, underscoring a widening scope of the confrontation.

Former Iranian diplomats are warning that the war between Iran, the United States and Israel could fundamentally reshape the Middle East’s security order, with some predicting a prolonged conflict and deeper regional instability.

The comments come as US President Donald Trump said Thursday he would pause planned strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure for 10 days until April 6, saying the move followed a request from Tehran and that negotiations were continuing.

Iranian officials have confirmed receiving proposals for talks but say they are reviewing them while insisting Iran will not accept ultimatums.

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Republican Representative Nancy Mace said on Thursday she has “grave concerns” about the risk of a prolonged conflict with Iran, adding she has not seen a clear exit strategy from the Trump administration.

Speaking to CBS News, Mace said a recent House Armed Services Committee briefing on Iran “left most of our questions unanswered,” and that she would oppose sending US ground forces.

“I haven’t seen an exit strategy yet,” she said, warning against a potential “20-year-plus endless war.” While expressing support for President Donald Trump and saying recent operations had degraded Iran’s missile capabilities, Mace urged him to “declare victory” rather than risk further escalation.

For more than a decade, Tehran has invested heavily in the Jask oil terminal, a project designed to shift part of its crude exports to the Gulf of Oman and create an alternative export route outside the Persian Gulf in times of crisis. Yet the data suggests the terminal has so far played only a marginal role in Iran’s export system.

According to Kpler data, Iran loaded an average of about 1.84 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude during the first 25 days of March. The contribution of the Jask terminal remained minimal.

Average loadings from Jask stood at roughly 81,000 bpd during this period—less than 5% of Iran’s total crude exports.

Historical patterns suggest this limitation may be structural. Iran first initiated exports from Jask in October 2024 amid heightened military tensions with Israel. Even then, volumes remained modest at around 77,000 bpd. In March 2025, exports from the terminal averaged roughly 54,000 bpd.

This is despite the fact that Jask is connected to Iran’s main oil-producing regions through a pipeline stretching nearly 1,000 kilometers, an infrastructure investment intended to enable significant export capacity outside the Persian Gulf.

In practice, Iran’s dependence on Kharg Island remains overwhelming.

Kpler data indicates that more than 84% of Iran’s oil exports in March were loaded from Kharg, while Jask accounted for just 4.4%. Another roughly 10% originated from the Soroush and South Pars terminals in the Persian Gulf.

Such concentration creates a clear strategic vulnerability: any disruption at Kharg could severely cripple Iran’s oil exports.

The question has gained renewed relevance as the war between Iran and the United States and Israel has intensified. The Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly a fifth of global oil trade passes—has become a central point of tension, with Tehran periodically restricting maritime traffic.

At the same time, reports have emerged of expanding US military operations in the region, including contingency planning involving strategic islands near the Strait of Hormuz that could be used to control access to the waterway.

In such a scenario, Iran’s continued reliance on export infrastructure concentrated around Kharg would leave its oil trade exposed to disruption.

Overall, the export data underscores a fundamental reality: despite years of investment, Iran has not succeeded in meaningfully reducing its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz—or, more critically, on the Kharg export hub.

In a volatile regional environment, that dependence represents a significant structural weakness.

The United Arab Emirates’ air defense systems intercepted 15 ballistic missiles and 11 drones launched from Iran on Thursday, the UAE Ministry of Defense said, as part of an ongoing wave of attacks.

"Since the start of the Iranian assaults, UAE air defenses have engaged 372 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,826 drones," UAE defense ministry posted on X.

"The attacks have killed two UAE service members and a Moroccan civilian contractor, along with eight foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Palestine and India," the post said. "Another 169 people were injured, ranging from minor to severe, including nationals from more than 25 countries."