Day 28 of the conflict brings a mix of pause and pounding. The US president delayed planned strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure by 10 days, saying talks are going "very well." Iran calls the US proposal one-sided and insists it has five non-negotiable demands. Meanwhile, Pakistan says it is relaying messages between Washington and Tehran as Turkey and Egypt help with mediation efforts.

In Iran

  • Casualties and strikes: US and Israeli bombardments have hit Iranian cities. More than 1,900 people have been killed so far.
  • Iran's response: Tehran has launched missiles and drones at Israel and several Gulf states, including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
  • Pause on energy attacks: Planned strikes on Iran's energy facilities were postponed until April 6, local time, while US officials say negotiations are making progress.
  • Negotiating stances: Iran described the US offer as unfair and presented a five-point plan that includes reparations and continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz. US officials view some of those demands as likely unacceptable.
  • Public reaction: Reporters on the ground say many Iranians are paying more attention to ongoing attacks than to official claims about the talks, and see the continuing bombardment as a sign that a deal may not be genuine.
  • Strikes on Tehran: Israels military reported a wide-scale wave of strikes on key infrastructure in the heart of Tehran earlier this week.

War diplomacy

  • Talks and mediation: Mediators are pushing for possible face-to-face meetings between US and Iranian officials, with Pakistan and Egypt mentioned as potential venues as early as this weekend.

In the Gulf

  • Daily attacks: Gulf states are seeing near-daily missile and drone fire from Iran, with frequent interceptions and debris falling in populated areas.
  • Abu Dhabi casualties: Debris from an intercepted projectile in Abu Dhabi killed two people and injured three. The two who died were from India and Pakistan. At least one of the injured was from India.
  • Kuwait: The Kuwait National Guard has repeatedly intercepted drones and missiles, making air raid alerts and explosions a regular part of life for residents.

In the US

  • Supply pressure: The fight is straining US military stockpiles. Officials are considering redirecting air defence interceptor missiles that had been destined for Ukraine to the Middle East.
  • Diplomatic meetings: Qatar's prime minister visited Washington to meet the US secretary of defence and discuss security and regional cooperation.
  • Political and economic impact: The war is denting the president's approval ratings and pushing fuel prices higher. A Fox News poll found 64 percent disapprove of his handling of the Iran war, while 36 percent approve.
  • News consumption shift: With trust in TV coverage falling, some Americans are turning to algorithm-driven social media feeds for war updates and different perspectives.

In Israel

  • Request for more troops: The Israeli military says it needs additional soldiers in southern Lebanon as it fights Hezbollah and tries to establish a buffer zone.
  • Political criticism: Opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid criticized the government for taking Israel into a multi-front conflict without a clear strategy or enough forces.
  • Soldiers killed: The Israeli army announced two soldiers were killed in south Lebanon amid recent operations to seize territory.

In Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen

  • Beirut strikes: Lebanese media reported an Israeli attack on Beirut's southern suburbs early on Friday.
  • US strikes in Iraq: The US struck the Habbaniyah base in Anbar province, killing between five and seven Iraqi soldiers and wounding 23.
  • Oil exports hit: Closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused Iraq's oil exports to fall by more than 70 percent.
  • Lebanon casualty toll: The death toll from Israeli attacks in Lebanon has reached 1,116.
  • Annexation concerns: Lebanon's prime minister warned the United Nations of a risk that territory south of the Litani River could effectively be annexed by Israel.

Oil markets and regional economy

  • World Bank readiness: The World Bank said it is prepared to provide immediate financial help to emerging market countries at scale.
  • Russian oil shipment: A tanker with more than 700,000 barrels of Russian crude arrived in the Philippines after that country declared a national emergency.
  • Regional concerns: Analysts note that South Asian countries depend on Gulf stability and do not want Iran's government to collapse or the Gulf economies to destabilize.

The situation remains fragile. Diplomatic channels are active, and some leaders talk about progress, but fighting and strikes continue across the region. The risk of wider escalation is real, and mediators are pushing to convert the pause in energy attacks into a longer stop to the fighting.