Israeli airstrikes escalated the Israel-Iran war on Day 36, hitting Iran's Mahshahr Petrochemical Zone in Khuzestan province on April 4, 2026, striking the Fajr 1 and 2, Rejal, Amir Kabir, and Bandar Imam facilities and wounding at least five people.
A separate projectile struck near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran, killing one guard, though Iranian officials confirmed there was no damage to the plant itself. Iranian state media attributed the Khuzestan petrochemical strikes to a joint US-Israeli operation under Operation Epic Fury, though no independent confirmation of direct US involvement has emerged.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian rejected a US proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire, accusing Washington of hypocrisy and questioning its sincerity on diplomacy, marking a significant blow to any prospects of de-escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict.
In a major battlefield development, Iranian forces shot down a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle over Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province on 3 April, 2026 with the jet carrying two crew members. The pilot was rescued but the search for the Weapons Systems Officer remains ongoing. During the rescue mission, an A-10 Warthog was also downed and its pilot recovered, while two Black Hawk helicopters were hit by small arms fire.
Iranians took to the streets in Tehran to celebrate what authorities described as a major military success, with officials stating the downings prove Iran still retains the capability to confront US and Israeli forces despite claims of severe damage to its military infrastructure.
Leaders of 40 countries convened virtually at Britain's request to discuss pressure on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but failed to agree on any specific steps, with about 20,000 sailors and thousands of ships still stranded in the waterway. Iran's parliament speaker also threatened closure of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, through which roughly one-eighth of global trade passes, deepening fears of a wider global economic crisis.
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